The Morals of Confucius, a Chinese Philosopher

London: Randal Taylor, 1691. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. 8 vo., pp [xvi], 142. 1st edition in English of any of Confucius’ writings, translated from the 1687 Latin edition of Prospero Intocetta, Philippe Couplet, et all, and guided by an intervening French translation attributed to either/both Louis Cousin or/and Jean de la Brune. Contemporary speckled calf, paper flaws to the margins of A4 and H4, without loss to text, chips to the margins of L1 and L7 without loss, ownership signature to the upper margin of the advertisement page, endpapers not quite a match, internally clean, skillful repairs to the joins, else a near fine copy and other copies aren’t. Wing C5806. This is the real 1st edition with the collation, [xvi], 142pp (A, C–L), and not to be confused with the 1780 reprint which duplicated the 1st edition exactly, including the 1691 date (a false imprint), and varied only in its collation, and often sold as the 1st edition. Most library holdings are either the 1780 reprint (miscataloged), or electronic copies of the 1691 1st edition held in The British Library. A scarce book in commerce, with only one copy of the first edition (an inferior one) selling at auction in the last 40 years. (Inventory #: 1091)