ALISON, Sir Archibald.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

History of Europe A handsomely bound set of these two magisterial histories of Europe covering the years 1769 to 1852.Sir Archibald Alison, first baronet (1792-1867), was a staunch defender of the British state's authority, making it his life mission to prevent the spread of revolutionary ideas from France to Britain. "The central failure he identified in the France of the ancien régime, as in present-day Britain, was the ruling class's reluctance to stand up to popular intimidation. Britain might have been spared the fate of France, but had no grounds for confidence in the future" (ODNB). The first work is a new edition; it was originally published from 1833 to 1842. The second work is the first edition, fifth thousand.

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.