Despite the fundamental importance of this concept in modern political thought priestley's role in its articulation has been ill-served by the absence of a modern edition of those works in which the argument was forged. This new collection will be the first to make accessible to students Priestley's Essay on the First Principles of Government and The Present State of Liberty in Great Britain and America, which reflect his most concentrated engagement with these issues at a crucial moment in his own life and that of the state. An introduction and notes, together with guides to further reading and key figures in the text, provide the student with all the material necessary for approaching Priestley.

本丛书囊括了所有著名的经典原著，但与此同时，它又扩展了传统的评价尺度，以便能够纳入范围广泛、不那么出名的作品。每一本书都有一个评论性的导言，加上历史年表、生平梗概、进一步阅读指南，以及必要的词汇表和原文注解。

Achnowledgements

Introduction

Chronology of Joseph Priestley s life

Biographical guide

Essay on the first Principles

The Present State of Liberty

Index