The Economic Writings of Sir William Petty is a book with texts, written by William Petty (1623-1687), and published in 1899 by Charles Henry Hull (1864-1936), in two volumes. The Economic Writings were published together with an introduction about the life and work of William Petty, and did also contain Natural and Political Observations upon the Bills of Mortality, by John Graunt.
This edition of the economic texts of William Petty, the scientist, who is often been called the founder of political economy, [1] is used as a reference work ever since its publication. [2]
Apart from the extensive collection of written publications by William Petty (and John Graunt), the general introduction to the life and work of Petty and Graunt, and the short introductions to the separate texts, it also contained the first extensive bibliography of the writings of Petty and Graunt.
Introduction(s) by Charles Henry Hull
The book opens with an 'Introduction' by the editor, Charles Henry Hull, which gives biographic information on Petty and Graunt, and an extensive recapitulation of the debate concerning the authorship of the "Observations upon the Bills of Mortality".
The biography of Petty (p. xiii- xxxiii) is among many other sources, based on some early publications, like the Athenae Oxoniensis by Anthony Wood (published 1691), Petty's will, first published in the Tracts relating chiefly to Ireland (first published 1769), [13] the Brief Lives of John Aubrey, [14] on Petty's History of the Down Survey (published 1851 by Thomas Aiskew Larcom for the Irish Archaeological Society) and on the Life of Sir William Petty 1623 - 1687 by Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice (published 1895).
The second section of the 'Introduction' (p. xxxiv-xxxviii) gives a short biography of John Graunt, the author of the Observations upon the Bills of Mortality (first published 1662).
Hull spends quite some space [15] on a detailed investigation of "the authorship of the Observations upon the Bills of Mortality". There are certain grounds for assigning the authorship of the Observations to William Petty. Some contemporaries of Petty have given rise to the idea that Petty was the author, like John Evelyn, John Aubrey, Edmund Halley and Bishop Gilbert Burnet. But there are also a number of contemporary testimonies in favour of Graunt. In the first place by Petty himself, in two letters to Sir Robert Southwell, but also by Sir Peter Pett. The final conclusion of Hull is that Graunt was definitely the author of the Observations. [16]
After a short section on Petty's letters and other manuscripts, the 'Introduction' gives an overview of the whole body of economic writings of Petty.
The 'Introduction' finishes with two sections on Graunt and the (London) Bills of Mortality.
Most of the separate texts in the Economic Writings also have an introduction by Hull.
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Sir William Petty was an English economist, physician, scientist and philosopher. He first became prominent serving Oliver Cromwell and the Commonwealth in Ireland. He developed efficient methods to survey the land that was to be confiscated and given to Cromwell's soldiers. He also remained a significant figure under King Charles II and King James II, as did many others who had served Cromwell.
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The Proceedings between Sankey and Petty is a pamphlet that contains a summary of the controversy that arose between Sir Hierom Sankey and Sir William Petty in the aftermath of the Down Survey. Sankey accused Petty of bribery and fraud. One of the ways in which Petty answered to this accusations was by this pamphlet, that was published in print by Petty in 1659 and covers a total of ten pages.
The Life of Sir William Petty 1623-1687 is a book, written by Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice, and published in 1895. It is a biography of Sir William Petty, the 17th-century scientist, known for his inventions, his charting of large parts of Ireland, in the Down Survey, and his publications on many different topics, like "political arithmetic" and political economy.
Reflections upon some Persons and Things in Ireland is an essay, written by Sir William Petty (1620-1687) and published in 1660. It contains a summary of the work carried out by Petty in the so-called Down Survey, and especially a defense against the critics that were cast upon him afterwards. It was a further elaboration of the short pamphlet, titled The Proceedings between Sankey and Petty, that was published by Petty the year before.
"Petty's Place in the History of Economic Theory" is an academic article, written by Charles Henry Hull and published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics in 1900.
