An Account of the Life and Writings of James Beattie In Two Volumes

Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Co., 1806. Leather. Good. 10.5" by 8". Unamed. A scarce set of the Life and Writings of James Beattie by Sir William Forbes. Complete in two volumes. Including many of his original letters. Volume I contains a Frontispiece of James Beattie. James Beattie FRSE (25 October 1735 ? 18 August 1803) was a Scottish poet, moralist and philosopher. The two works, which brought him most fame were An Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth, and his poem The Minstrel. The Essay, intended as an answer to David Hume, had great immediate success, and led to an introduction to the King, a pension of £200, and a degree from Oxford. The first book of The Minstrel was published in 1771 and the second in 1774, and constitutes his true title to remembrance, winning him the praise of Samuel Johnson. It contains much beautiful descriptive writing. Beattie was prominent in arguing against the institution of slavery, notably in his Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth (1770) and Elements of Moral Science. In green full calf leather bindings with gilt embellishment to the spines and front boards. Externally, a trifle rubbed. There is some wear to the tops and tails of the spines. There is some minor loss to the leather. There is a label to the front board on volume I. There are bookbinder's labels to the front pastedowns in both volumes. Internally, volume I is generally firmly bound. In volume II the binding is loosening in places and both hinges are weak. Pages are generally bright and clean with some scattered light foxing. Good