The Rights of War and Peace

Uncommon English Translation of De Jure Belli ac Pacis Translated by Campbell. Originally published: Pontefract, UK: Printed by B. Boothroyd, and sold by F. and C. Rivington, 1814. Three volumes. xxiv (v-xxiv new introduction), xxxv, 368; [iv], 352; [vi], 420 pp. With a new introduction "The Campbell Translation of Hugo Grotius (1814)" by William E. Butler, John Edward Fowler Distinguished Professor of Law, Pennsylvania State University. First published at Paris in Latin (1625), The Rights of War and Peace laid the foundations of the modern system of public international law. Grotius addresses situations in which war is a legitimate instrument of law enforcement and outlines principles for the lawful use of armed force. Based on a Christian understanding of natural law, Grotius advanced the novel argument that his system would still be valid even if a divine basis were lacking. He pointed to the future by moving international law in a secular direction. This fourth (or fifth) English translation (1814) is by Archibald Colin Campbell (1763-1842). 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 (1685-1740) with the assistance of Edward Littlehales (1690-1724) and John Spavan (1685-1718), and reissued with the Notes of Jean Barbeyrac in 1738. Hugo Grotius [1583-1645], a pre-eminent contributor to international legal doctrine, was an influential Dutch jurist, philosopher and theologian. Grotius is also known for De Jure Praedae (1604) and De Mare Liberum (1609), in which he argued against territorial sovereignty over the seas.