Federalist, on the New Constitution. By Publius. Written in 1788

1802. [HAMILTON, Alexander; MADISON, James and JAY, John]. The Federalist, on the New Constitution. By Publius. Written in 1788. To which is added, Pacificus, on the Proclamation of Neutrality. Written in 1793. Likewise, the Federal Constitution, with all the Amendments. Revised and Corrected. viii,317,[1] (complete with two pages numbered 167 and two pages numbered 168, as noted on the erratum on verso of the vol. I terminal text leaf, and with page numbering 263-270 repeated, as issued); v, [3], 351, [1] pp., including an ad leaf bound following the table of contents. 2 vols. 8vo. New York: Printed and sold by George F. Hopkins, 1802. Second edition. Contemporary half tree calf and marbled paper covered boards, flat spine gilt, minor wear at extremities. Minor dampstaining at front of vol. 1., else scattered minor foxing. Cohen 2818; DAB XI, pp.312-13; Ford 21; Howes H114, "aa"; Sabin 23981; Shaw & Shoemaker 2218; Grolier, American 100, 19 (first edition); Reese, Federal Hundred 19 (first edition). Second edition, "revised and corrected," of the most important work of American political thought ever written and according to Thomas Jefferson "the best commentary on the principles of government." This is the first edition to identify Hamilton, Jay, and Madison as the authors, and the last edition published in Hamilton's lifetime. The Federalist comprises the collected printing of the eighty-five seminal essays written in defense of the newly-drafted Constitution. The essays were first issued individually by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in New York newspapers under the pseudonym Publius to garner support for the ratification of the Constitution. This first collected edition was published in early 1788: volume I published in March, contains the first thirty-six numbers, volume II published in May, includes the remaining forty-nine, together with the text of the Constitution. Upon its publication, George Washington noted to Alexander Hamilton that the work "will merit the Notice of Posterity; because in it are candidly and ably discussed the principles of freedom and the topics of government, which will always be interesting to mankind" (George Washington, letter to Hamilton, August 28, 1788). The genesis of this "classic exposition of the principles of republican government" (Bernstein, p.242) is to be found in.