# Is "Essays (First Series)" by Ralph Waldo Emerson a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of Essays (First Series) by Ralph Waldo Emerson (James Munroe & Co., 1841) is identified by: First edition, James Munroe & Co., Boston, 1841 (Myerson A.10.1.a), in cloth or boards. US true first, 1841, titled 'Essays' (not yet 'First Series').

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- First edition, James Munroe & Co., Boston, 1841 (Myerson A.10.1.a), in cloth or boards
- The volume was titled simply 'Essays' at publication — the 'First Series' designation came retroactively after the Second Series appeared in 1844 and was used on the 1847 revised edition
- Contains twelve essays including 'Self-Reliance,' 'Compensation,' 'The Over-Soul,' and 'Circles.' Verify the 1841 Munroe imprint and the original 'Essays' title; collectors confirm first-issue status against Myerson's recorded points
- Publisher imprint reads James Munroe & Co.
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Ralph Waldo Emerson |
| Publisher | James Munroe & Co. |
| Year | 1841 |
| True first | US edition |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | First edition, James Munroe & Co., Boston, 1841 (Myerson A.10.1.a), in cloth or boards |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## Points of issue
First edition, James Munroe & Co., Boston, 1841 (Myerson A.10.1.a), in cloth or boards. The volume was titled simply 'Essays' at publication — the 'First Series' designation came retroactively after the Second Series appeared in 1844 and was used on the 1847 revised edition. Contains twelve essays including 'Self-Reliance,' 'Compensation,' 'The Over-Soul,' and 'Circles.' Verify the 1841 Munroe imprint and the original 'Essays' title; collectors confirm first-issue status against Myerson's recorded points.

## Is this the true first?
US true first, 1841, titled 'Essays' (not yet 'First Series'). A London edition appeared the same year. The 1847 Munroe edition is revised and carries the 'First Series' title.

## Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later revised printings and the retroactive 'First Series' title postdate the original; the genuine first reads simply 'Essays' with the 1841 Munroe imprint.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *Essays (First Series)* by Ralph Waldo Emerson a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/essays-first-series
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.