The History of the Houses of Douglas and Angus.

£20,000 · Offered by Shapero Rare Books

rare survival from the library of Adam Smith A rare survival from the personal library of the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher and economist Adam Smith (1723-1790). The Library: Upon his death on 17th July 1790, Smith's library passed to his sole heir, David Douglas, Lord Reston (1769-1819). Reston lived until 1819, whereupon the library was divided between his two daughters Mrs Cunningham and Mrs Bannerman. The Bannerman portion was donated intact to New College, Edinburgh (now housed in the University of Edinburgh Library). By contrast, the Cunningham inheritance was dispersed over a period of some 50 years, beginning in 1878 when part of the collection was sold upon the death of Cunningham's husband. Further sales are recorded in the early 20th century, with a large contingent (some 141 items) bought by Professor Nitobe of Tokyo University in 1920 (and subsequently donated to the University). A retained portion of the collection was donated by Cunningham's son Professor R.O. Cunningham to Queen's College, Belfast on his death in 1918. With regards to the size of Smith's library, 'MacCulloch, who saw the books before the dispersion, reckons their number at 5000. Dugald Stewart says Adam Smith possessed "a small but excellent library, which he had gradually formed with great judgement in the selection"... The whole collection was more probably 3000 than 5000' (Bonar). The most thorough catalogue of Smith's library to date (see Hiroshi Mizuta, Adam Smith's Library (Oxford,

• Binding: Hardcover

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