Page 72 - Swann Galleries - Printed & Manuscript Americana - Sale 2310 - April 16, 2013

146 ● FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN. Rules
for Reducing a Great Empire to a
Small One . . . to which is Subjoined
the Declaration of Independence. Small
8vo, modern 1/2 morocco; minor foxing.
London, 1793 [4,000/6,000]
First separately issued edition; it first appeared in
the October 1773 issue of the Public Advertiser.
“Probably the cleverest political satire written by
Franklin. It is a scathing review of the Ministry’s
methods for governing America, and is chiefly aimed
at Lord Hillsborough”—Ford 314. “Here was the
boldest tone Franklin had ever taken in public, and
all the bolder because his hard arguments were edged
with insulting irony. He talked back to the ministers,
from whom he had borne too much”—Van Doren,
Benjamin Franklin, page 454. Sabin 25580.
Provenance; Goodspeed’s 1942 catalogue,
359:104. Only 8 copies in American libraries per
ESTC; and only one other copy known at auction,
at Swann, 22 March 2007, lot 115.
147 ● (FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN.) Alix,
Pierre-Michel; after Carle van Loo.
Francklin. Color aquatint, 141/4 x 9 inches;
2 pin holes on the border, trimmed close to
plate mark.
Paris: Drouhin, [1795] [1,200/1,800]
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