HEINITZ (Karl Friedrich Anton). Essay on political... Lot 87

HEINITZ (Karl Friedrich Anton). Essay on political economy. Basel, Decker brothers, 1785. In-4, [2]-45 pp. with 4 folding tables, half tan basane with green cardboard corners, smooth spine decorated with gilt fillets and ribbons framing gilt fleurons, green morocco title page (period binding). Small beginning of a crack at one of the spines. A good copy. First edition printed in a small number. Its rarity and confidentiality are due to the author's high position: this Prussian minister of state (1724-1802) directed the mines of Saxony, then of Prussia, founded the Bergbau-Academie, a great scientific school, and then presided over the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin. The four large folding tables are of the highest interest: 1. political economy table of a state on its population and its distribution in the various houses with that of its national industry. 2. Table on the fertility and cultivation of the state and on the grains necessary for the food of the inhabitants and their horses in each generality. 3. Table of political economy on the receipts and expenditures of the different coffers that make up the state treasury. 4. Table of political economy of a state on the outflow and inflow of cash to judge whether the national wealth is increasing or decreasing.