British economist ALFRED MARSHALL (1842-1924) was one of the most prominent thinkers of his age on the philosophy of finance, and this, considered his greatest work, was for years the standard text on the subject. First published in 1890, this is an abridged version of the 1920 eighth edition, and it serves as an excellent primer on such topics as: . basic economic laws . the purpose of economic studies . fundamental concepts including wealth, production, consumption, labor, income, capital, and others . understanding consumer demand . an introduction to market studies . and much more. ALSO AVAILABLE FROM COSIMO: Marshall's Elements of Economics of Industry