Books

First edition, very rare, especially complete with the additional 24-page note as here. The work is an important source of information on the organisation of French society before 1789. A French lawyer and economist, Le Trosne studied natural law philosophy with Pothier, planning to become a magistrate. He joined the Physiocrats in 1764 by publishing a book defending the free trade in grain and articles in the Ephémérides du citoyen and other journals, followed by De l'ordre social in 1777. De l'administration provinciale was "a ponderous tome, scientific in tone, which, from the point of view of the financier, had the advantage of appearing four years before the work of Necker on the administration of the financial affairs of France; and from the point of view of the politician, of appearing ten years before the celebrated night of 5th August 1789" (A. Courtois in Palgrave's Dictionary of Political Economy). Le Trosne omitted to take into consideration the requirements of the clergy and the work was outlawed in 1780, the year of his death, which may explain its rarity. A two-volume octavo edition followed in 1788. Quarto (258 x 199 mm). Contemporary quarter calf, spine ends restored at ends, marbled boards, red edges. Slight splitting to front joint, boards very fresh. Contents with intermittent staining (heavier towards front and rear), some spotting, still generally clean, loss to fore edge (not affecting text) to pp. 367/8. A good copy. Einaudi 3357; Kress S. 4942; INED 2867; Mattioli 1964.