Author: [BENSON (William)]:
Title: Lettre au Chevalier Jacob Banks. Contre le Vouvoir Absolu et l'Obeissance Passive. Traduite de l'Anglois.
Description: A Cologne [sic, for Rotterdam] Chez Pierre Mateau [probably printed in Rotterdam by Fritsch and Böhm], 1711 FIRST FRENCH EDITION. Slim 8vo, 180 x 112 mms., pp. [ii], 69 [70 blank], title-page in red and black, later speckled boards; front hinge cracked at title-page, spine a bit worn. This is a translation of A Letter to Sir J--- B---, by Birth a S---, but Naturaliz'd, and Now a M---r of the P----t: Concerning the late Minehead Doctrine. The English version was first published as The History or Present State of Sweden; in a Letter to Sir J--- B----. ODNB states that Benson (1682 - 1754), a Whig politician "published a letter attacking the tory MP Sir Jacob Bankes for advocating passive obedience to monarchs. Bankes was of Swedish birth; Benson depicted the miseries of the Swedes after their liberties were surrendered to arbitrary power; the Swedish ambassador protested; Benson was summoned before the privy council but not prosecuted. It was said that his pamphlet sold 100,000 copies in several languages." He also distinguished himself with a fine edition and partial translation of the first two books of Virgil's Georgics, in 1724.

Keywords: politics passive obedience prose


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