A Letter Concerning Toleration

Boston: Rogers and Fowle, 1743. Good. [Boston]: [Printed and sold by Rogers and Fowle in Queen-Street, next to the prison], [1743]. First U.S. Edition, though unfortunately incomplete, lacking the following: leaves A1-A2, including title and half title, top half of G2, near entirety of G3 (the final page of text) with only a small remnant remaining, and the blank G4 leaf. Conforms to the first U.S. Edition with pages 14 and 64 mis-numbered 41 and 62, respectively, per Evans. Octavo. [5-7]; 8-74 pp.; many leaves trimmed. Bound in 19th-century quarter morocco with new endpapers and four leaves of lined paper to preliminaries. Ownership inscription of Charles Phelps dated 1772 at first page of preface; bookplate of James H. Phelps of West Townshend, Vermont to preliminaries, along with more recent ownership stamp of Jonathan Edwards scholar Wilson Kimnach. Marginalia to pp. 62-63, presumably in Charles Phelps' hand, is difficult to decipher but is clearly referencing the text concerning the role of the atheist with regards to government and the Church. A Charles Phelps was a figure in the Vermont land grant controversy before and during the Revolutionary War. This would eventually lead to Vermont statehood,with Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys playing the starring roles.

Boards lightly worn with chip to crown and binding is sound. Chipping and tears to interior, predominantly to first and last few leaves, with loss to front bottom corner of first leaf, tears and staining to final leaves. A Good only, incomplete copy of Locke's influential work which explores, among other matters, the distinction between the authority of the state and the Church. No copies in retail with only a couple appearances at auction in the last century.

[Sabin 41728; Evans 5227].