Lettres a M. Malthus, sur différens sujets d'économie politique: notamment sur les causes de la stagnation générale du commerce.

First edition. 8vo. [8], 184 pp. Contemporary tree calf, flat spine elaborately panelled in gilt, second panel lettered in gilt on red morocco label, the rest with gilt lattice work marbled endpapers, marbled edges (contemporary binders label of Cabasson, Paris to front pastedown, offsetting to margins of opening four leaves, some occasional minor foxing; expertly recased, some light wear to extremities, upper corner of rear cover scuffed, notwithstanding a very good copy indeed). Paris, Bossange.

A collection of five letters written by Jean-Baptiste Say and addressed to Thomas Robert Malthus, responding to the publication of Malthus's Principles of Political Economy published earlier in the same year. The letters particularly pertain to the 'general glut' controversy prompted by the elaboration of Say's Law in his Traité d'économie politique (1803), which Malthus had severely criticised in his Principles.

Say's correspondence with Malthus is the source of his oft-quoted, scathing remark: 'It is better to stick to facts and their consequences than to syllogisms' (quoted in New Palgrave).

Goldsmiths' 22780; Kress, C.617.

Stock Code: 252187