Books

8vo, pp. [ii], viii, 9-314, [5], [1 blank]; engraved frontispiece, woodcut head- and tailpieces; clean and fresh throughout, with very occasional contemporary underlining in ink; in contemporary calf, spine gilt in compartments with gilt-lettered morocco label; some light wear, but still an attractive copy, with the bookplate of Sir Edmund Antrobus on front pastedown.Sixth edition, expanded to forty-seven paragraphs, of Beccaria's principal work, one of the founding texts of penology and an important statement of criminal law reform, here with the additions of the 'Giudizio di celebre professore sopra il livro dei delitti e delle pene' and 'Risposta ad uno scritto che s'intitola Note, Osservazioni sul libro dei delitti e delle pene', along with Beccaria's own foreword, and a frontispiece depicting Justice shunning a severed head offered by an executioner. Dei delitti e delle pene saw many editions, including a number of pirates, in the years after its first publication in 1764, and the first few saw it augmented by Beccaria from its original forty paragraphs. The present edition is one of two to appear with a Harlem imprint and 'edizione sesta', one bearing the name of the Parisian publisher Molini (Giovan Claudio Molini), with whose brother Beccaria had been staying in London, and whom Beccaria visited in the autumn of 1766. It has been suggested that the present version, with Molini's name, may in fact be a Livorno-printed pirate (as Govi notes, with this work, even the counterfeits had counterfeits); in any case, the 'edizione sesta' appears 'mechanically to reproduce the 'fifth' and have similar characteristics so marked that they appear clearly based on one another' (Firpo, cited by Santato, 385). For an exploration of the publishing history, see Guido Santato, 'La questione attributive del Dei delitti e delle pene' in Lettere italiane 48 (1996), pp. 360-398; cf. Govi, I classici che hanno fatto l'Italia 249; this edition not in Melzi. Language: Italian.

Cesare Beccaria's seminal work, "Dei delitti e delle pene," translated into English as "On Crimes and Punishments," marks a monumental shift in the landscape of criminal justice and criminology. Published in 1764, this groundbreaking treatise laid the foundations for the modern criminal justice system, advocating for the reform of the legal and penal system in a manner that was radically ahead of its time. Beccaria's ideas not only influenced the development of criminal law in Western Europe but also had a profound impact on the Enlightenment philosophers of his era. This essay delves into the core themes, arguments, and enduring legacy of "On Crimes and Punishments," highlighting its significance in the annals of legal and philosophical thought. At the core of Beccaria's argument is the assertion that the system of punishment should be guided by rationality, humanity, and the principle of justice rather than by the severity of torture or the arbitrariness of the judges. Beccaria challenges the traditional practices of the criminal justice system of his time, which often involved torture and capital punishment, arguing that the purpose of punishment should be to deter crime and reform the offender, rather than to exact revenge. This represented a radical departure from the prevailing judicial practices, rooted in a belief in the innate rights of individuals and the importance of a proportional response to crime. Beccaria posits that the certainty of punishment, rather than its severity, is more effective in deterring crime. He advocates for a system where laws are clear and widely known, ensuring that individuals can understand the consequences of their actions. This principle underscores the importance of a legal system that is transparent, predictable, and fair, in which punishments are not only just but also necessary and logically connected to the crimes they are meant to deter. One of the most revolutionary aspects of Beccaria's work is his staunch opposition to the death penalty and the use of torture. He argues that the state does not have the right to take lives and that capital punishment is neither a useful deterrent nor morally justifiable. Beccaria's arguments against torture are similarly grounded in logic and humanity, emphasizing the unreliability of confessions obtained under duress and the fundamental rights of individuals to be treated with dignity and fairness. The impact of "Dei delitti e delle pene" on the development of legal thought cannot be overstated. Beccaria's ideas were instrumental in shaping the reforms of the criminal justice systems in various European countries, including the abolition of torture and the death penalty in many jurisdictions. His work also influenced prominent figures of the Enlightenment, such as Voltaire and Montesquieu, and contributed to the development of classical criminology and the modern principles of human rights. Beyond its immediate impact, Beccaria's treatise continues to resonate in contemporary debates on criminal justice reform, the ethics of punishment, and the abolition of the death penalty. His advocacy for proportionality, deterrence, and the humane treatment of offenders remains relevant, reflecting enduring principles of justice and humanity.