The John Austin Collection

John Austin (1790-1859) was one of the most famous British jurists of the 19th-century. A pupil of Jeremy Bentham, he took an analytical approach to jurisprudence, seeking to distinguish between positive law ("commands of a superior enforced by sanctions") and custom or morality. He achieved little public renown during his lifetime, publishing only one book and a few journal articles. After his death, however, his "Lecture on Jurisprudence" were published by his widow. In this four-volume set, the first two volumes consist of a reprint of John Austin's "Lectures of Jurisprudence". Volume 3 contains Gorden Campbell's "Analysis" of Austin's lectures, prefaced by J.S. Mill's account of them in the "Edinburgh Review". Volume 4 is Sir Henry Maine's "Ancient Law", which represents a key work in an opposed tradition in British jurisprudence. Where Austin is analytical is his approach, Maine is historical, seeking to explain how existing legal concepts have arisen from their roots in religion, morality, or popular custom.