Jean-Baptiste SAY (1767–1832). 2 letters, Paris 1825–1828, t - Lot 116

Jean-Baptiste SAY (1767–1832). 2 letters, Paris 1825–1828, to Mrs. Sarah Austin in London; 3½ pages, in-4 format, with an address. December 10, 1825: He recommends Luigi Chitti of Naples, “the translator of my Treatise on Political Economy into Italian, an enlightened man, a friend of liberty, and well-equipped to provide you with reliable information on the current state of Italy—and especially of Naples.” He is visiting England for the first time and does not speak the language: “I believe it would be a great gift to him to put him in touch with Mr. de Saint-Marsan and with the other distinguished Italians who have the good fortune to know you.” He sent some newspapers to Francis Place for “your protégé Alfred”; he learned with sadness “that our great Bentham had had his books stolen—the ones he was bringing back from France”… April 15, 1828: He had his eldest son deliver the “first volume of my great Course in Political Economy, which has just been published. It will consist of six volumes, to be published—God willing, or the devil willing—this year or the next.” In it, “one will see that I link the entire field of social economy to my subject, for the economy of society consists of a continual exchange of services, the value of which is assessed by political economy. It assesses the things one may need and the conditions under which one can obtain them”… He regrets that Mrs. Austin was unable to come to Paris during the best season “and see what our studies in jurisprudence consist of” and that she plans to come in August “when one is overwhelmed by dust and heat, when all public institutions are closed for vacation, when…, when… well, it makes no sense at all.” He gives news of mutual friends…