An Enquiry into the Origin of Honour, and The Usefulness of Christianity in War.

London: Printed for John Brotherton,, 1732. First edition of the author's last book; the final instalment of a long string of incendiary treatises which incensed his contemporaries. Following his tracts attacking Christian ethics, defending brothels, and opposing charity schools, Mandeville here turns to the readiness with which Christianity can be perverted to militarism, and asserts that honour is no more than pride. As with his Fable of the Bees, Part II (1729, an entirely different work to the first part) the treatise takes the form of a dialogue between two interlocutors, Cleomenes and Horatio. "Mandeville repeated his view that the passions of pride and shame are both forms of self-liking. Honour and (worldly) religion are treated as devices that are useful for socializing humans. Honour is discovered to be even less demanding than virtue or the artificial courage discussed in the Fable of the Bees. The work again reveals Mandeville's anti-clericalism in his account of how a perverted version of the truly peaceful doctrine of Christianity can be used to motivate soldiers" (ODNB). Octavo (184 x 115 mm). Late 19th-century half sheep and pebble-grain cloth, spine ruled gilt in compartments, black leather label, sprinkled edges. Joints and corners rubbed, head of spine with tiny chip. Margins trimmed a little close; a crisp, clean copy. ESTC T59021; Kaye, pp. 440ff.