Ensáio sôbre a verdadeira origem, extensão e fim do govêrno civil. Escripto em Inglez por John Locke, e traduzido para portuguez por João Oliveira de Carvalho, estudante do terceiro anno de cânones.
London: Richard Taylor, 1833. First and only Portuguese edition of Locke's highly influential Second Treatise on Government. Some wear at head and foot of spine, a little very light foxing. Small numeral in upper blank margin of titkle-page. Still, a remarkably fine, fresh copy, uncut and partially unopened. Contemporary blue-gray plain wrappers. Twelvemol. xxiv, 227 pp. Item #16202
Locke’s philosophical defence of the principles of the revolution of 1688 came to be accepted as the true exposition of the Whig creed. It is also of great importance to economic theory being ‘in fact the earliest work in which the true sources of wealth and value are distinctly pointed out.’ It is ‘a far more distinct and comprehensive statement of the fundamental principle that labour is the grand source of value, and consequently of wealth, than is to be found even in the Wealth of Nations" (McCulloch p. 4). The translator, Oliveira de Carvalho, a third year student of canon law who had been living in England since 1831, compares the development of the English and Portuguese constitutional systems. He states that the Portuguese system would be more firmly grounded if citizens realized their true interests and duties. The date of publication of this volume coincides with the height of the struggle between the exiled liberals supporting D. Pedro IV (I of Brazil) and his daughter D. Maria II against the absolutists under D. Miguel. Some of the liberals favored the 1820 constitution, others the more moderate Charter of 1826 written by D. Pedro; the Miguelistas opposed all constitutions. Oliveira de Carvalho favored the Charter. On the title page, above the imprint in Italic letter appears the statement: “Offerecido aos Constitucionaes Portuguezes, como Principios Fundamentaes para a Consolidação da Carta Constitutional, datada em 29 de Abril de 1826.” Besides the translator’s preface he also wrote a life of Locke for this volume (pp. xiii-xxiv).
Innocêncio III, 430; X, 322. Canto, Ensaio bibliografico ... 1828 a 1834, pp. 62-3; Gonçalves Rodrigues, A tradução em Portugal 4298. Yolton notes no Portuguese language editions. OCLC records one copy, at the British Library.
Price: $2,000.00