EMERSON, Ralph Waldo. The Complete Works Of Ralph Waldo Emerson. (12 VOLUMES - THE AUTOGRAPH CENTENARY EDITION)

AUTHOR: EMERSON, Ralph Waldo. 

TITLE: The Complete Works Of Ralph Waldo Emerson. With a biographical introduction and notes by Edward Waldo Emerson and a general index.

PUBLISHER: Cambridge: The Riverside Press, 1903/4.

DESCRIPTION: THE AUTOGRAPH CENTENARY EDITION. 12 vols., 8-15/16" x 6-1/4", limited to 600 numbered copies, signed by the publisher, this being copy #15, with an Autograph Manuscript leaf bound into Volume I. illustrated, bound in 3/4 green morocco, ribbed gilt decorated spines, top edges gilt, others uncut.

CONDITION: Internally clean and bright, hinges fine, head and foot of spines fine, A VERY GOOD SET.

A most important manuscript in todays times it reads in full:

America , England /
Voting /

The American votes rashly & /
immorally with his party (on /
the questions of slavery, of Woman's /
rights, on Chinese immigration, & c. ) /
with a feeling that he does /
not endanger anything. He /
believes that what he has enacted /
he can repeal, if he does not like /
it; & does not entertain the probabil /
ity of being seriously caught /
in meshes of legislation. But one /
may run a risk once too often. /
Those who stay away from the /
election, think that one vote less will /
do no harm. But if they should come /
to be interested in themselves & in /
their career, they would no more /
stay away from the election than /
from honestly or from affection. /
The vote made Marcus Morton / [highly contested gubernatorial race]
governor of Massachusetts in 1839. /
Epaminondas left his Theban /
army on the approach of /
a battle to give his vote in Thebes. /
In America, it is reckoned unmanly /
not to vote.