Discours sur l'Origine et les Fondemens de l'Inegalite' Parmi les Hommes. Discourse on the Origin and Foundations of Inequality Among Men.

Amsterdam: Marc Michel Rey, 1755. Hardcover. Good. Very early printing of this important masterpiece, matches most conditions for a true First Edition but there is no frontispiece (it may have been removed in rebinding): three canceled pages; misspelled author's name ('Jaques' appears on title page and at end of dedication); vignettes on title and dedication pages; hand-correction on p11 (accent on conforme); ends with Errata/Avis page; no engraving at p258; on bottom edge of p159, 'L5' is mismarked 'K5'; page LXV numbered correctly; cancels and hand-corrected accent lead us to believe this is not one of the 'counterfeit' or pirated facsimile editions. 8vo, in very old full-leather binding which may be contemporary; 18th-century marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, dentilles, triple gilt rule on boards, and raised bands on spine; original blue silk ribbon, very fragile; gilt sunflowers in panels on spine; title label has just the letters that would fit so it reads 'Discour/de/Roussea.' Good (boards rubbed, worn, and scraped; edges worn to boards; spine ends chipped, bumped, and worn; lower left-hand corner of spine tail heavily chipped or eaten away; corners heavily worn to boards and splayed; joints torn; three inch tear to top half of front joint; chip to top third of rear joint; large chip to bottom of rear joint; gilt dulled; old owner's name on title page; pages foxing, at its worst on the errata page; pages stiff from rippling); LXX and 262pp with an Avertissement and Question between Dedication, Preface, and first page and then two pages, the Errata and Avis, at end.