An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.

London: printed for J. Maynard and F. Zinke,, 1811. In original boards Later London edition in the original boards of "the first and greatest classic of modern economic thought" (Printing and the Mind of Man). It reprints the text of the fifth edition (1786), the last to be published in Smith's lifetime, and which was itself based on the text of the third edition, the last to which Smith made any significant changes. The Life and the essay by Germaine Garnier, translator of the Wealth into French, were first included together in 1806. 3 vols, octavo (215 x 125 mm). Tables to the text. Uncut in the original boards, buff paper spines, blue sides, paper spine labels printed in black. Contemporary ownership inscription of William Petherick to front boards, with his gift inscriptions to the front pastedown and title page of each volume, "Presented to the St Austell Public Library by Mr Petherick of St Austell", and the St Austell library stamp to several leaves. Petherick was involved with the mining and engineering communities in Cornwall. Extremities worn with some loss to head and foot of spines, boards soiled and dampstaining to front board of vol. 3, contents browned with some foxing, dampstaining, and the occasional marginal annotation, overall a very good set. Tribe 102; Vanderblue, p. 4.