Adams John

1850 · réf. 130479 — 1850. First Edition. ADAMS John. The Works of John Adams Second President of the United States with a Life of the Author Notes and Illustrations by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams. Boston: Little Brown 1850-56. Ten volumes. Octavo modern full brown morocco gilt raised bands burgundy morocco spine labels marbled endpapers top edges gilt. $13500.First edition of the Works of John Adams prepared by his grandson Charles Francis Adams including Adams' esteemed biography of his grandfather illustrated with portraits and facsimiles a splendid ten-volume set handsomely bound in full calf-gilt.Jefferson who died the same day as John Adams on July 4 1826 proclaimed him ""the colossus of independence."" To Adams' biographer David McCullough ""few Americans ever achieved so much of such value and consequence to their country in so little time"" American History and to historian Gordon Wood ""more than any of the revolutionaries Adams represented the political and constitutional side of the American EnlightenmentÉ No one read more and thought more about law and politics than John Adams"" Revolutionary Characters 178. In 1850 John Adams' grandson Charles Francis Adams ""took up seriously the publication of the Works of John Adams in ten volumes and prepared a biography which quite apart from its merits still holds a place for its wide reading and broad treatment. A wholly unbiased weighing of character could not be expected but as written by a grandson the work has unusual qualities"" ANB. This definitive set contains much of Adams' published works and public and private correspondence. Sabin 253. Publisher's receipt laid into Volume VI.Offsetting from some illustrations interiors otherwise fine. Very handsomely bound. hardcover books