An Essay on Crimes and Punishments. Philadelphia: R. Bell, 1778

1778. Philadelphia: Printed by R. Bell, 1778.. Philadelphia: Printed by R. Bell, 1778. Early American Edition of Beccaria in an Exceptional Period-Style Binding Beccaria, [Cesare Bonesana, Marchese di] [1738-1794]. Voltaire [Arouet, Francois-Marie] [1694-1778]. Sharpe, Granville [1735-1813]. Rousseau, Jean-Jacques [1712-1778]. An Essay on Crimes and Punishments. Written by the Marquis Beccaria of Milan. With a Commentary Attributed to Monsieur De Voltaire. Philadelphia: Printed by R. Bell, 1778. [iv], 352, [4] pp. Includes one-page publisher list. Three works in one with continuous pagination. The second work, preceded by a half-title and title page is Sharpe's Remarks on the Opinions of Some of the Most Celebrated Writers on Crown Law, Respecting the Due Distinction Between Manslaughter and Murder, the third, with a drop-head title, is J.J. Rousseau, Citizen of Geneva, His Opinion on Duelling. Octavo (7-1/2" x 4-1/2"; 19 x 11.45 cm). Superb period-style calf by Philip Dusel, blind rules to boards, raised bands and lettering piece to spine, endpapers renewed, upper corner and chip to foot of title page restored, leaves washed. Light toning, slightly heavier in places, faint spotting to a few leaves. An exceptional copy. $3,500. * With a table of authorities and cases. Dei Delitti e Delle Pene (1764) was the first systematic study of the principles of crime and punishment. Infused with the spirit of the Enlightenment, its advocacy of crime prevention and the abolition of torture and capital punishment marked a significant advance in criminological thought, which had changed little since the medieval era. It had a profound influence on the development of criminal law. It was especially influential among American thinkers, who saw Beccaria as a source of enlightened ideas to reform English common law. Though the date of the true first edition has been debated, it is clear today that the first American edition was published in Charleston, SC, in 1777. What appeared to be earlier American imprints, including a 1773 New York imprint, have been ascertained to be ghosts. Cohen, Bibliography of Early American Law 4233.