Book Description

Reprint of third English-language edition. With a new introduction "The Morrice Translation of Hugo Grotius" by William E. Butler, John Edward Fowler Distinguished Professor of Law, Pennsylvania State University; Emeritus Professor of Comparative Law at University College London; Academician, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine; and Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. Originally published: London: Printed for D. Brown, T. Ward and W. Meares, 1715. Three vols. xxx (iii-xxx new Introduction), [14], civ, 212; 648; 356, [48] pp. First published in 1625, Of the Rights of War and Peace is a landmark in conceptualizing the modern system of international law. Grotius describes the situations in which war is a valid tool of law enforcement and outlines the principles of armed combat. Though based on Christian natural law, Grotius advanced the novel argument that his system would still be valid if it lacked a divine basis. In this regard he pointed to the future by moving international law in a secular direction. The first English translation, by C. Barksdale, was published in 1654 and reissued the following year. The second, by W. Evats, was published in 1682. The 1715 edition was translated and edited by John Morrice with the assistance of Edward Littlehales (1690-1724) and John Spavan (1685-1718). Hugo Grotius [1583-1645] was an influential Dutch jurist, philosopher and theologian. Grotius is also known for De Jure Praedae (1604), which argues against territorial sovereignty of the seas. John Morrice [1685-1740], an English divine, translated and/or edited a number of works on law, history, and theology between 1712 and 1738.