Conal Condren examines the criteria for judging both works of political theory and texts associated with related academic genres. He discusses the rhetoric surrounding terms like originality," "influence," and "coherence," the value of these terms as criteria of textual assessment, and their use in charting the history of texts. Originally published in 1985. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.