Letters, on the Spirit of Patriotism: On the Idea of a Patriot King: and On the State of Parties, at the Accession of King George the First [1st].

RARE second edition of a collection of papers by Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (1678-1751) - an English politician, government official and political philosopher, best known as the philosopher of the Country Party. St John was leader of the Tories and supported the Church of England politically despite his anti-religious views and opposition to theology. In 1715 he supported the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 which sought to overthrow the new king George I. Escaping to France he became foreign minister for the Pretender. He was attainted for treason, but later was allowed to return to England in 1723. 170x115mm. 338 pages (+2). Marbled board Hardcover with gilt leather ribbed spine. Text block edge dyed red. Cover yellowing, rubbed/slightly worn and dirty/slightly stained. Cover edges and corners bumped and worn/peeling. Spine, spine edges and hinges worn and peeling. Spine gilt almost entirely peeled. Spine hinges cracked (front cover coming loose, but still holding). Binding coming loose and visible between rear endpaper and whitepage. First whitepage upper corner cut-out. Both front whitepages coming loose from binding. Rear whitepage detached. Rear whitepage edges worn/slightly tattered. Pencil inscriptions on title-page bottom edge. Title-page edge near binding slightly torn. Several last pages slightly stained - NO damage to text. Pages yellowing, slightly age-stained and wavy. [SUMMARY]: This extremely rare book by the pioneering British ideologist of systematic parliamentary opposition has sustained some external wear to cover and spine, but is otherwise in good condition.