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

first edition in English published abroad

The first edition in English of Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations to be printed and published abroad.

As the title explains, the Wealth of Nations is fundamentally an investigation into why certain countries are more prosperous than others. Smith's originality lies in locating the roots of this comparative wealth in the specialisation of labour which had occurred in developed economies, for the 'annual labour of every nation is the fund which originally supplies it with all the necessaries and conveniences of life which it annually consumes, and which consist always, either in the immediate produce of that labour, or in what is purchased with that produce from other nations' (Introduction).

The text is taken from the fourth edition originally printed in 1786. Smith (1723-1790) died on 17th July the year preceding the publication of this Basel edition, but it seems evident from the title-page that this work was in the press before news of Smith's death reached Tourneisen.

First Basel edition; 4 vols; 8vo (21.5 x 13.5 cm); ads to vol. 2, occasional light spotting; contemporary sheepskin-backed marbled paper boards, contrasting lettering-pieces to spines further tooled in gilt, sheepskin tips, the spines faded from blue to brown, slightly rubbed with minor loss to extremities, very good; viii, 406; vi, [2 ads], 344; iv, 358, [6];v, [1], 374, [72]pp.

ESTC N16940; Goldsmiths' 14613; Mizuta 43.