L'Ami Des Hommes, Ou Traité De La Population. Première Partie. [.Quatrième Partie.]

[Parts I-III:] Avignon: 1756 & [Part IV:] np: 1758., 1758. 4 Parts in 5 Volumes. 12mo. pp. 431, [1]; 578, [1 leaf]; 577, [1]; 4 p.l., 285; 1 p.l., 313, [1], 150, [1 leaf]. engraved frontis. in Vol. I. woodcut initials. An attractive set, bound in 19th century tree sheep (slight worming to lower front joint of Vol. I & lower front cover of Vol. III). First Duodecimo Edition; originally published in quarto format the same year. Fourth (present here), fifth and sixth parts, containing material by other writers including Quesnay, were published in 1758 and 1760. Mirabeau's treatise created a sensation throughout Europe and was widely reprinted and translated, earning for its author "though only for a few years, a.fame much greater than that of any other economist before or after, not excluding Adam Smith or Karl Marx.". (Schumpeter p. 175n) In it, Mirabeau intended to show that agriculture is the great source of subsistence and must be encouraged, that a large population is desirable, and that religious toleration, free trade, a more equal distribution of wealth, and lower and equitable taxation are needed for the economic improvement of the country. The work attracted the attention of Quesnay, and the meeting of the two men led to the formation of the physiocratic school. Quesnay contributed to the continuations, including a portion of the fourth part and the Tableau Économique in part six. Goldsmiths' 9093 (Vols. I-III). Higgs 1143 & 2160. Kress 5545. Quérard VI 154. Stourm p. 100n. Tchemerzine VIII 750 (Vols. I-III). Coquelin & Guillaumin II pp. 190-91. cfEinaudi 3941..