The New Law-Dictionary: Containing the Definition of Words, Abridged

1743. Scarce Abridged Edition of Jacob's Law-Dictionary Jacob, Giles [1686-1744]. The New Law-Dictionary: Containing the Definition of Words and Terms and Also the Whole Law, And Practice Thereof, &c. Carefully Abridged: In the Most Compleat and Informing Manner, For the Use and Benefit of Students, Attornies and Solicitors, Stewards, And Clerks of Courts, Justices of the Peace, Sheriffs of Counties, The Clergy and Others. And Particularly Referring to All the Law-Reports, And Acts of Parliament, Especially Those Statutes Which Have Lately Altered Our Law, Down to the Present Time. Whereto is Added, A Curious Catalogue or Register of the Year-Books and Reports, With the Times of Their Publication, &c. [London]: Printed by Henry Lintot (Assignee of Edw. Sayer, Esq.) for R. Ware [et al.], 1743. [304] ff. Main text in Double columns. Octavo (8" x 5"). Contemporary calf, blind rules to boards, blind fillets along joints, raised bands and lettering piece to spine, gilt tooling to board edges. Light scratches and a few minor nicks to boards, a few faint creases to spine, moderate rubbing to extremities, wear to head of spine, corners bumped, joints just starting at head, hinges cracked. Moderate toning to interior, "e/m" in small early hand to verso of title page. A handsome copy. $950. * Only abridged edition, derived from the fourth edition, the last published in Jacob's lifetime. As Cowley has pointed out, Jacob's New Law-Dictionary was both his masterpiece and "an entirely new departure in legal literature" that provided a model for several subsequent efforts. In contrast to earlier works, each entry summarizes all of the laws relating to the subject and offers extensive interpretive commentary. Obsolete terms are omitted. It was recognized almost immediately that Jacob created a highly useful legal encyclopedia that was more detailed and concise than any other abridgment of the period. An extremely popular work that went through twelve editions between 1729 and 1800, it offers unparalleled insights into Anglo-American law during the eighteenth century. OCLC locates 4 copies of this edition in North American law libraries (Yale, UT-Austin, Harvard and the University of Maine). Other copies located at the Library of Congress, Georgetown University Law School and Harvard Law School. Cowley, A Bibliography of Abri.