Um papel politico. Hontem, hoje, e amanhã.

Lisbon, Tipografia do Gratis, 1842.. FIRST EDITION. Large 8°, early quarter calf over marbled boards (rear cover detached, worn, minor worming to leather), smooth spine heavily gilt (defective at head and foot, worn), with short title ("papeis varios"). Some foxing. Internally good; overall in somewhat less than good condition. Contemporary ink signature of J.P. Celestino Soares in blank portion of title page and above chapter titles on pp. 63 and 143 (showing through to the verso in all cases). Second front free endleaf facing title page has table of contents in ink manuscript by the same or similar early hand. iii, 205 pp.; lacking the blank final leaf of quire 10 (pp. 141-2), between the end of the second essay (p. 139, with [p. 140] blank), and the beginning of the third essay. *** FIRST EDITION. A second by the same printer appeared in 1847 (with a collation of 205 pp., so perhaps a new issue rather than a new edition); there is also a 1912 edition or issue with the same collation by the same printer. Innocêncio notes that the anonymously published work was for quite some time attributed to other authors, and that its depiction of current figures led to a rebuttal (also published anonymously): Hontem, hoje e amanhã visto pelo direito, Lisbon, 1843. Lacerda's Hontem was printed again in Lisbon 1990, edited by António Reis and with notes by Fernando Pereira Marques.The first essay, "Hontem," is a discouraged look at Portuguese politics: "Odeio o absolutismo, e não sou republicano; desprezo o miguelista, e respeito o monarchismo: commungo com os Cartistas, mas não do bando renegado, nem da parcialidade alcunhada Cabralina: sou portuguez."The second essay, "Hoje," is on the Revolução de Setembro (1836) and its aftermath, with several pages each on major political figures (pp. 63-139). The third essay "Amanhã," discusses possible ways to improve Portugal's political and financial situation (pp. 143-205).José Maria Almeida e Araújo Correia de Lacerda (Villa Real, Tras-os-Montes, 1802-1877), a noted jurisconsult, was a member of D. João VI's royal council and served as Ministro do Reino (the equivalent of prime minister) from January 15, 1825 to August 1, 1826: the last few months of D. João's reign, and the beginning of the regency of the Infanta D. Isabel Maria de Bragança. He was a fidalgo da Casa Real, Commendador da Ordem de N.S. da Conceição, dean of the Sé Patriarcal de Lisboa, and a deputy to the Côrtes.Provenance: Joaquim Pedro Celestino Soares (1793-1870), belonged to the royal council, was a knight of the Ordens da Torre e Espada for his actions during the siege of Porto during the Lutas Liberais, naval captain, eventually rising to rear admiral, director of the Escola Naval and the museu maritimo, commander of a company of marines, member of the Academia das Bellas Artes de Lisboa and the Academia Real das Sciencias de Lisboa, and deputy to the Côrtes in various legislatures. He wrote a number of other books, and contributed to newspapers. See Innocêncio IV, 143, 454; XII, 123-5; Aditamentos, p. 218. Also Grande enciclopédia, XXIX, 328-9.*** Innocêncio V, 15 and XIII, 78; for other works by the author, see V, 15-17, 449 and XIII, 77-79. Porbase locates two copies at Biblioteca João Paulo II-Universidade Católica Portuguesa, and one at Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal. Not located in Jisc. KVK (51 databases searched) locates only the copies cited by Porbase, and the 1912 edition or issue via the French online union catalogue. NUC: MH.