A translation of Magna Carta into French opens this collection of Anglo-American tracts; which was published in Paris at the time of the French Revolution. The anonymous author of the volume evidently considered that Magna Carta stood at the head of this historical tradition; since it precedes translations of the American Declaration of Independence (1776); the Constitution of the United States of America (1789) and other colonial texts. In the preface Magna Carta is described as 'la base de la libert­T du peuple Anglois' (the foundation of the freedoms of the English people). The translation is faithful to the original Latin text; although one peculiar feature is that the clauses are misnumbered. The author also took exception to the notion that liberties were bestowed by the king: 'Despotes de la terre; vous reconno??trez bient?ÄSt que les peuples ne tiennent rien de vous' (Despots of the world; you will soon acknowledge that the people hold nothing from you)