Susanne Schulz-Falster Catalogue Ten

Adam Smith’s theory of Moral Sentiments is, in brief, that it is founded
not, as Hume said, on self-interest, but on fellow-feeling – the ability one
man has to put himself in the place of another, and to judge others by himself
and himself by others. Smith’s views on the complex relationship between
Sympathy and Self-interest later shaped his Wealth of Nations.
Goldsmiths’ 9537; Kress S 5815; Vanderblue p. 38.
Adam Smith in Germany
susanne schulz-falster rare books catalogue ten
286 [SMITH, Adam.] SARTORIUS, Georg. Handbuch der
Staatswirthschaft zum Gebrauche bey akademischen Vorlesungen,
nach Adam Smith’s Grundsätzen ausgearbeitet. Berlin, Joh. Friedr.
Unger, 1796. £2500
8vo, pp. xxxix, [1], 234, [2] advertisements; very clean and crisp;
nineteenth century blue boards; small stamp of Amsterdam library to
verso of title; a Wne copy.
First edition, very rare, of this early synopsis of Adam Smith’s Wealth of
Nations for the use at universities. Sartorius (1766–1828), professor at
Göttingen university, was the Wrst to introduce the teaching of Adam Smith
at a German university. Here he presents his outline of Smith’s work, with
the addition of his own critical and practical remarks.
[Sartorius’] ‘selections from the Wealth of Nations, published as early as
1796 revealed a capacity to present the principles and implications of
‘laissez faire’ in a manner suited to the tastes and needs of German students’
(K. Pibram in ESS). This abridgement was largely overlooked by Smith
scholars; Haldane was the Wrst to acknowledge the work (referring to a later
edition) while it had been missed by Rae, Scott and Hirst. However, a
Swedish translation appeared in 1800, and spread Smith’s concepts of
‘laissez faire’ to Northern Europe.
Goldsmiths’–Kress 16557; Menger c. 93; Vanderblue p. 32; the Wrst edition is
rare, RLIN records copies at Columbia, Cornell, and the Universities of Chicago
and Michigan only.
Eighteenth Century Pest Control
287 SMITH, Robert. The Universal Directory for taking alive
and destroying Rats, and all other kinds of four-footed and winged
Vermin, in a method hitherto unattempted. London, the author,
1768. £350
8vo, pp. iv, [iii]–viii, 218, with 6 engraved plates by Thomas Bowen, 4
of which folding, in the text; title page with small repaired hole at lower
blank margin, not touching any text, label removed from the verso of
the title page, upper corner of title a little creased; bound in
contemporary full sheep, ruled in gilt, gilt-lettered spine label; joints
cracking, but cords holding Wrmly, head and tail of spine chipped; still
an attractive copy.
First edition, uncommon, of this eighteenth century publication on pest
control. Smith, rat-catcher to Princess Amelia, outlines in great detail how
to get rid of ‘those animals, noxious to the community, describes their wonderful
wiliness and sagacity, and the uncommon and surprising methods
they take for self-preservation and getting their prey’ (p. iv). Irrespective of
one’s views on animal welfare in general, many of the animals listed by