2 volumes, 4to (242 x 179 mm). Woodcut devices on title-pages, woodcut tail-pieces. (Two leaves with old repairs to lower blank margin just touching a letter, staining to a few leaves.) Contemporary French mottled calf gilt, brown and tan morocco lettering-pieces gilt, edges stained red (some light wear). Provenance: P. A. Verhaeghie? (signature dated 1773).

Second edition, with "Barillot" in the imprint, first issue with the errata leaf at the end of vol. I, published in the same year as the rare first edition.  Montesquieu's theories had a profound influence on  Hamilton's Federalist Papers and Tocqueville's Democracy in America and influenced the thinking which led to the American and French Revolutions. "The United States Constitution in particular is a lasting tribute to the principles he advocated" (PMM). Tchemerzine VII 460 (a); see PMM 197.