The Works of Nicholas Machiavel, Secretary of State to the Republic of Florence, Newly Translatedfrom the Originals…

Volume two only (of 2), 4to, modern marbled boards backed in calf, gilt ruled raised bands and gilt lettered black morocco label on spine, five folding engraved diagrams, xxvi, 380, x, 227, [25] pp. Ex-Library of Congress, with faint accession date stamp of January 31, 1854 on final page & deaccession stamp on verso, and bleeding through, title page, signature of General Alexander Macomb on title page, light foxing throughout; heavier on the bottom margins of last few pages; else very good. First edition of this translation, and this volume contains, along with other material, Machiaveli's The Art of War, in Seven Books. Inscribed at the head of the tirle page, "Major General Alexander Macomb, U.S. Army 1815." Macomb (1782-1841) was one of the early military heros of the American Republic. Born in Detroit, but raised in New York, he joined a city militia at the age of 16, and worked his way up to first lieytenant in the regular army in 1802, when he was selected to be one of the first two students to attend the newly established military academy at West Point. During the War of 1812 he earned the praise of Congress and a gold coin for his heroic defense of Plattsburg, New Work when it was attacked by a larger British force. In 1828 he was named commanding general of the army, which was a post he held for thirteen years. The American National Biography called him, " a vigorous and farsighted leader" and someone with very strong organizational and administrative skills. ANB.