Observations on the Inslaving, importing and purchasing of Negroes | With some Advice thereon extracted form [sic] the Yearly Meeting Epistle of London for the present Year | Also Some Remarks on the absolute Necessity of Self-Denial, renouncing the World, and true Charity for all such as sincerely Desire to be our blessed Saviour's Disciples by [BENEZET, Anthony] - 1759

Germantown: Printed by Christopher Sower, 1759. Softcover. Fine. A scarce colonial era antislavery pamphlet from the library of James Moon, a prominent Philadelphia Quaker who played a leading role in the long-running Quaker campaign against slavery in the 18th Century.

First edition. Octavo (16 x 10 cm / 6.25" x 4"). pp. [2 (title page/verso blank)] 2-15. Stitched in contemporary plain waste paper wrapper. Moon's ownership signature (dated 1760) written in ink on the inside of the front wrap, the inside of the back wrap, and the title leaf verso. Short-title in manuscript by Moon on the front wrap. There is an additional early, small ownership signature on the front wrap. Some rubbing and fraying to the edges of the front wrap, the top third of the wrapper is split along spine, a fine copy. Eleven lines of letterpress text at the bottom of page 7 have been neatly underlined only about ½ inch in ink at the left margin, where the letterpress type is uneven. A watermark is present at the head of the spine fold.

The very rare 1759 first edition of this historically important antislavery tract, printed by Christoph Saur in Germantown, Pennsylvania, the first German-American printer and publisher in North America. The more common second edition of 1760 was also printed by Saur. Attributed to Anthony Benezet by Evans. It is one of the earliest abolitionist texts printed in the United States, and a rare imprint from the press of Christoph Sauer. A fine, previously unrecorded copy in a contemporary wrapper.

*Evans* 8298; Smith, *Friends' Books* I, p. 240; Hogg, *African Slave Trade* 1730; Library Company, *Afro-Americana* 1070. *ESTC* W1272.