View source for Considerations on the Order of Cincinnatus

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Considerations on the Order of Cincinnatus to Which are Added, as well Several Original Papers Relative to That Institution''}}
===by Comte Gabriel-Honoré de Riquetti de Mirabeau===
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|shorttitle=Considerations on the Order of Cincinnatus
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|author=[[:Category:Honoré Gabriel Riqueti|Comte Gabriel-Honoré de Riquetti de Mirabeau]]
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|publisher=Printed by T. Seddon ... and W. Spotswood ...
|year=1786
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|lang=[[:Category: English|English]]
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|pages=iv, 68
|desc=[[:Category:Octavos|8vo]] (22 cm.)
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}}[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honor%C3%A9_Gabriel_Riqueti,_comte_de_Mirabeau Comte de Mirabeau, Honoré Gabriel Riqueti] (1749-1791) was born on March 9, 1749 at Bignon, near Nemours. <ref>''Encyclopedia Britannica'', s.v. “Comte de Mirabeau, Honré Gabriel Riqueti.” In http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Mirabeau,_Honor%C3%A9_Gabriel_Riqueti,_Comte_de. Last modified November 3, 2014.</ref> Son of a respected French economist and grandson to Jean Antoine, hero of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cassano_%281705%29 1705 Battle of Cassano], Mirabeau enjoyed the privileged upbringing of a nobleman. <ref>Ibid.</ref> Mirabeau began his armed service career in 1767 following years of training in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%c3%89cole_Militaire French military school]. <ref>''The New International Encyclopedia'', s.v. “Count de Morabeau, Gabriel Honore Riqueti.” In http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_New_International_Encyclop%C3%A6dia/Mirabeau,_Gabriel_Honor%C3%A9_Riqueti,_Count_de. Last modified December 16, 2011.</ref> Mirabeau's propensity for initiating scandalous love affairs, acquiring large gambling debts, and igniting heated arguments with superiors led to several imprisonments and exiles.<ref>Ibid.</ref> Escaping prison at the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_de_Joux castle of Joux] with his mistress Sophie, Mirabeau fled to neighboring Switzerland.<ref>Ibid.</ref> While Mirabeau lived abroad, French authorities condemned him to death at Pontarlier for abduction and robbery. In May 1777, French police seized Mirabeau and returned him to prison once more, this time in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%A2teau_de_Vincennes castle of Vincennes].<ref>Ibid.</ref>

From prison, Mirabeau launched his extensive literary career, drafting several titles before earning a reversal of his death sentence. After his release, Mirabeau's political discourse adopted a distinctly populist flair.<ref>''Encyclopedia Britannica'', s.v. "Comte de Mirabeau, Honré Gabriel Riqueti''</ref>. Attacking the existing French order with pointed censure, Mirabeau occasionally retreated to Holland and London as a way of calming the controversy generated by his writings.<ref>Ibid</ref>

On one such furlough to London, Mirabeau authored ''Considerations on the Order of Cincinnatus'' in response to American pamphlets by Aedanus Burke (1743-1802) of South Carolina. Under the pseudonym "Cassius," Burke circulated two pamphlets, ''An Address to the Freemen of South Carolina'' (January 1783) and ''Considerations on the Society or Order of Cincinnati'' (October 1783), where Burke condemned the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_the_Cincinnati Society of the Cincinnati], a lineage organization established to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the officers of the Continental Army who served in the Revolutionary War, as an attempt at reestablishing a hereditary nobility within America's budding republic.<ref>Ibid.</ref>

Burke's arguments appealed to Marabeau's distrust of established political order, a political theme catching fire in late-eighteenth century France. In drafting ''Considerations on the Order of Cincinnatus'', Marabeau utilized materials personally provided by Benjamin Franklin, whose role as Minister to France effectively muzzled any ability to publicly criticize the the French monarchy.<ref>''The new International Encyclopedia'', s.v. “Count de Morabeau, Gabriel Honore Riqueti.”</ref>

Though posthumously considered critical to the developments of the French Revolution, Marabeau's contributions to history are often examined with mixed opinion. Following Marabeau's death, evidence produced at Revolution-era trials exposed his hidden loyalty to the crown and workings as an intermediary between major incumbent and revolutionary forces.<ref>Ibid.</ref>

==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
The [[Jefferson Inventory]] of [[Wythe's Library]] includes the notation ''Mirabeau, Turgot etc 8vo.'' for a title given by [[Thomas Jefferson]] to his son-in-law, [[Thomas Mann Randolph]]. A title later listed on Randolph's 1832 estate inventory as "'Consideration for the order of Cincinnati' ($2.25 value)" may be the same book. We do not have enough information to conclusively prove that Wythe owned ''Considerations on the Order of Cincinnatus''. Nor can we identify which edition Wythe owned, or whether he owned the French original or the English translation. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe George Wythe's Library]<ref>''LibraryThing'', s.v. "[http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe Member: George Wythe]," accessed on June 18, 2015.</ref> on LibraryThing indicates this, adding "Several editions in French and England were published at London and Philadelphia." The [https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433 Brown Bibliography]<ref>Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012, rev. May 2014) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433.</ref> lists both the 1784 first French edition and the 1785 first American edition, indicating that Wythe probably owned the English edition. Since the edition in unknown, the Wolf Law Library purchased an available copy of the 1786 English edition printed in Philadelphia.

==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
Modern rebound in quarter calf with marbled boards. Gilt lettering and blind rules to spine. 

Images of the library's copy of this book are [https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolflawlibrary/sets/72157657040135444 available on Flickr.] View the record for this book in [https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991004973399703196 William & Mary's online catalog.]

==See also==
*[[George Wythe Room]]
*[[Jefferson Inventory]]
*[[Wythe's Library]]

==References==
<references />

[[Category:American History]]
[[Category:George Wythe Collection at William & Mary's Wolf Law Library]]
[[Category:Honoré Gabriel Riqueti]]
[[Category:Thomas Mann Randolph's Books]]
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]

[[Category:English]]
[[Category:Octavos]]
[[Category:Philadelphia]]