A VIEW OF THE NEW ENGLAND ILLUMINATI: Who Are Indefatigable Engaged In Destroying The Religion And Government Of The United States; under a feigned regard for their safety-and under an impious abuse of true religion

Philadelphia: Printed by James Carey, 1799. 1st Edition. Leather. Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" tall. 1st edition. A Very Good copy. 8vo., 20 pp. Bound in new full brown morocco, with leather title label and separate date label on spine in gilt. Lacking any original end papers; with new end papers. Title page moderately brown, but the rest of the text with only occasional light foxing. A Very Good copy, of the scarce first edition, in a handsome, full leather binding. Evans 36009. *** Attributed to John Cosens Ogden by Evans. The American Antiquarian Society copy is inscribed: Presented by the author John C. Ogden. A second Evans entry (Evans 35270) list the work under James Carey, to whom the copyright was issued as proprietor. This being the 1st edition, with out any mention of a second edition. *** Born in New Jersey in 1751, Ogden was a Yale graduate, who was often at a war of words with Yale President Timothy Dwight. Ogden believed Dwight was trying to establish Congregationalism as New England's 'official' religion, with Dwight as its "Pope". When Dwight and other Federalists tortuously exposed the mythical Bavarian illuminati as the international revolutionary conspiracy behind Republicanism, Ogden turned the charge back upon its authors. He wrote of the "New England Illuminati"-the men who conspired to suppress liberty and retain power in Connecticut and other states. An excellent example of the fierce political fighting between the Federalists, represented by John Adams and the Republicans, represented by Thomas Jefferson, which culminated with the election of bitter election of 1800.