London: Printed for John Murray, 1815. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 8vo (208 x 127 mm). [4], 61 [1] pp., advert leaf bound after title, unnumbered publisher's advert page at end. Without the additional 4-leaves of publisher's adverts at end, not belonging to this tract, but sometimes found in copies. Modern calf-backed boards, gilt-lettered spine, new endpapers. Title-page slightly dust-soiled, a few light pencil marginals, but generally crisp and clean throughout. Near fine copy. ---- Black 2877; Goldsmith 21130; Kress B6537. EXCEPTIONALLY RARE FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE (with Murray alone in imprint (and not with J. Johnson). The first full presentation of Malthus' classic essay in which he presented the Malthusian-Ricardian theory of rent for the first time. "At the end of 1805 [Malthus] became professor of history and political economy at the newly founded college of Haileybury [East India College, Hertfordshire]. He gave lectures on political…