LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON, Commander in Chief of the American Forces...Compiled Under the Inspection of the Hon. Bushrod Washington, From Original Papers Bequeathed to Him by His Deceased Relative. To Which is Prefixed An Introduction, Containing a Compendious View of the Colonies Planted by the English on the Continent of North America. by [Washington, George]; Marshall John - 1804-1807

London: Richard Phillips, 1804-1807. 5 volumes. First edition, the English Issue published at the same time as the American issue. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Washington in Vol. 1, folding view plates in Vols. 2 and 3, a finely engraved vignette tailpiece at the end of Vol. 3, 12 large folding maps of the American colonies in Vols. 1 and 5. Thick 8vo, contemporary tree calf, spines gilt lettered and numbered in two compartments on red and black contrasting morocco lettering labels and decorated in gilt with gilt bands and period central ornamental devices in gilt. A fine and handsome set in the original English calf binding. Some light age evidence to the calf but surprisingly well preserved. Internal hinges are in good order, text blocks sound and tight. An unusually well preserved item. RARE FIRST EDITION IN CONTEMPORARY CALF of one of the great early works on George Washington. The books contain maps of important Revolutionary battles in Virginia, the Carolinas, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey. There is also a fine portrait of Washington and finely engraved view plates.
“John Marshall (September 24, 1755 – July 6, 1835) was the Chief Justice of the United States (1801–1835) whose court opinions helped lay the basis for American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court of the United States a coequal branch of government along with the legislative and executive branches. Previously, Marshall had been a leader of the Federalist Party in Virginia and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1799 to 1800. He was Secretary of State under President John Adams from 1800 to 1801.
The longest-serving Chief Justice of the United States, Marshall dominated the Court for over three decades and played a significant role in the development of the American legal system. Most notably, he reinforced the principle that federal courts are obligated to exercise judicial review, by disregarding purported laws if they violate the Constitution. Thus, Marshall cemented the position of the American judiciary as an independent and influential branch of government. Furthermore, the Marshall Court made several important decisions relating to federalism, affecting the balance of power between the federal government and the states during the early years of the republic. In particular, he repeatedly confirmed the supremacy of federal law over state law, and supported an expansive reading of the enumerated powers.”
‘Justice Marshall greatly admired George Washington, and between 1804 and 1807 published his influential five-volume biography. The author’s Life of Washington was based on records and papers provided to him by the late president's family. The first volume was reissued in 1824 separately as A History of the American Colonies, and the work reflected Marshall's Federalist principles. His revised and condensed two-volume Life of Washington was published in 1832. Historians have often praised its accuracy and well-reasoned judgments, while noting his frequent paraphrases of published sources such as William Gordon's 1801 history of the Revolution and the British Annual Register. After completing the revision to his biography of Washington, Marshall prepared an abridgment. In 1833 he wrote, "I have at length completed an abridgment of the Life of Washington for the use of schools. I have endeavored to compress it as much as possible. ... After striking out every thing which in my judgment could be properly excluded the volume will contain at least 400 pages." The Abridgment was not published until 1838, three years after Marshall died.’
This biography, here offered in its original five volume, first edition presentation, is still regarded as one of the most important ever penned, and perhaps the only one of real substance written by an extraordinary contemporary utterly active in the birthing of the new nation to which Washington had given the very highest and most noble service during is long life.