Traites de Legislation Civile et Penale, 3 Vols. 1802, First edition

1802. 3 vols. Paris, 1802 1st ed. 3 vols. Paris, 1802 1st ed. First Edition of Bentham's Theory of Legislation Bentham, Jeremy [1748-1832]. Dumont, Pierre Etienne Louis [1759-1829], Editor and Translator. Traites de Legislation Civile et Penale, Precedes de Principes Generaux de Legislation, Et d'une Vue d'un Corps Complet de Droit: Termines par un Essai sur l'Influence des Terms et des Lieux Relativement aux Lois. Paris: Chez Bossange, Masson et Besson, 1802. Three volumes. xlii, 370; xx, 434; viii, 452 pp. Each volume has half-title. Complete set. Octavo (7-3/4" x 5"). Contemporary quarter calf over marbled boards, gilt title and ornaments to spine. Negligible light rubbing to boards and extremities, corners bumped and lightly worn, small chip to rear board of Volume II near upper corner, early owner bookplate to front free endpaper of Volume I, small institution inkstamps to half-titles of Volumes I and III and title page of Volume II. Moderate toning, light foxing in a few places in each volume. A handsome set. $1,000. * First edition. Not published in English until the Boston 1840 American edition, Bentham's seminal work on penal reform and legislation established his reputation. The first of Bentham's works edited by Dumont, it consists partly of papers by Bentham, some of which were originally written in French, and partly of a digest by Dumont of Bentham's ideas, including a memoire in French on the Panopticon. Dumont, a Swiss writer and journalist, met Bentham at the house of Lord Shelburne in 1788. There followed an enduring relationship in which Dumont translated and edited many of Bentham's works, acting at the same time as Bentham's informal literary agent. Dumont's editions "brought Bentham's ideas for the first time before a wide audience...However much Bentham may have complained that Dumont's versions were not his own, he was grateful to Dumont for what he could not achieve alone, a growing international reputation based on highly readable editions of his works" (ODNB). The first British edition was published in 1864. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (accessed online). Harrison, Bentham xvii. Chou University Library, A Bibliographical Catalogue of the Works of Jeremy Bentham T8.1. Muirhead, A Jeremy Bentham Collection 17.