In the following I give references to the place of each work in Bowring's edition.
Bentham's first book was the Fragment on Government, 1776 (i. 221-295). An interesting 'historical preface,' intended for a second edition (i. 240-259), was first printed in 1828. The Fragment, edited by Mr. F. C. Montague, was republished in 1891.
The Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation was published in 1789, in one vol. 4to (i. 1-154). It had been printed in 1780. A second edition, in two vols. 8vo, appeared in 1823. It was intended as an introduction to the plan of a penal code. Bentham says in his preface that his scheme would be completed by a series of works applying his principles to (1) civil law; (2) penal law; (3) procedure; (4) reward; (5) constitutional law; (6) political tactics; (7) international law; (8) finance; and (9) political economy, and by a tenth treatise giving a plan of a body of law 'considered in respect of its form,' that is, upon 'nomography.' He wrote more or less in the course of his life upon all these topics. Dumont's Traités of 1802 were based partly upon the Introduction and partly upon Bentham's MSS. corresponding to unfinished parts of this general scheme.
The two first sections of this scheme are represented in the Works by Principles of the Civil Code (i. 297-364) and Principles of Penal Law (i. 365-580). The Principles of the Civil Code is translated from Dumont's Traités, where it follows a condensed statement of 'general principles' taken from the opening chapters of the Introduction. An appendix 'on the levelling system' is added in the Works from Bentham's MSS. The Principles of Penal Law consists of three parts: the first and third (on 'political remedies for the evil of offences' and on 'indirect means of preventing crimes') are translated from parts 2 and 4 of Dumont's Principes du Code pénal (parts 1 and 3 of Dumont being adaptations from the Introduction to Morals and Legislation). The second part of the Penal Law, or The Rationale of Punishment is from Dumont's Théorie des Peines et des Récompenses. Dumont took it from a MS. written by Bentham in 1775. (See Bentham's Works, i. 388.) An appendix on 'Death Punishment,' addressed by Bentham to the French people in 1830, is added to Part II. in the Works (i. 525-532). No. 4 of Bentham's general scheme corresponds to the Rationale of Reward, founded upon two MSS., one in French and one in English, used by Dumont in the Théorie des Peines et des Récompenses. The English version in the Works, chiefly translated from Dumont and compared with the original manuscript, was first published in 1825 (ii. 189-266). Richard Smith 'of the Stamps and Taxes' was the editor of this and of an edition of the Rationale of Punishment in 1831, and of various minor treatises. (Bentham's Works, x. 548 n.)
The Table of the Springs of Action (i. 195-220), written at an early period, was printed in 1815, and published, with modifications, in 1817. The Vue générale included in the Traités of 1802 was intended by Bentham as a sketch for his own guidance, and is translated as View of a Complete Code of Laws in the Works (iii. 154-210). The two essays in the 1802 Traités on 'the promulgation of laws' and the 'influence of time and place in matters of legislation' are translated in Works (i. 157-194). A fragment on International Law—a phrase invented by Bentham—written between 1786 and 1789, first appeared in the Works (ii. 535-571), with Junctiana proposal—a plan for a canal between the Atlantic and the Pacific—written in 1822, as an appendix.
Besides the above, all written before 1789 in pursuance of his scheme, Bentham had published in 1778 his View of the Hard Labour Bill (iv. 1-36); and in 1787 his Defence of Usury (iii. 1-29). A third edition of the last (with the 'protest against law taxes') was published in 1816.
During the following period (1789-1802) Bentham wrote various books, more or less suggested by the French revolution. The Essay on Political Tactics (ii. 299-373), (corresponding to No. 6 of the scheme), was sent to Morellet in 1789, but first published by Dumont in 1816. With it Dumont also published the substance of the Anarchical Fallacies (ii. 489-534), written about 1791. A Draught of a Code for the Organisation of the Judicial Establishment of France, dated March 1790, is reprinted in Works iv. 285-406. Truth v. Ashhurst, written in 1792 (v. 231-237), was first published in 1823. A Manual of Political Economy, written by 1793 (see Works, iii. 73 n.), corresponds to No. 9 of his scheme. A chapter appeared in the Bibliothèque Britannique in 1798. It was partly used in Dumont's Théorie des Récompenses, and first published in English in Works (iii. 31-84). Emancipate your Colonies (iv. 407-481) was privately printed in 1793, and first published for sale in 1830. A Protest against Law Taxes, printed in 1793, was published in 1795 together with Supply without Burthen, or Escheat vice Taxation, written in 1794. To them is appended a short paper called Tax with Monopoly (ii. 573-600). A Plan for saving all Trouble and Expense in the Transfer of Stock, written and partly printed in 1800, was first published in Works (iii. 105-153).
During this period Bentham was also occupied with the Panopticon, and some writings refer to it. The Panopticon, or the Inspection House (iv. 37-172), written in 1787, was published in 1791. The Panopticon versus New South Wales (iv. 173-248) appeared in 1802; and A Plea for the Constitution (on transportation to New South Wales) (iv. 249-284), in 1803. Closely connected with these are Poor-laws and Pauper Management (viii. 358-461), reprinted from Arthur Young's Annals of September 1797 and following months; and Observations on the Poor Bill (viii. 440-459), written in February 1797, privately printed in 1838, and first published in the Works.
About 1802 Bentham returned to jurisprudence. James Mill prepared from the papers then written an Introductory View of the Rationale of Evidence, finished and partly printed in 1812 (see Works, x. 468 n. and Bain's James Mill, 105, 120). Dumont's Traité des Preuves judiciaires (1823) was a redaction of the original papers, and an English translation of this appeared in 1825. The parts referring to English Law were omitted. The Rationale of Evidence (5 vols. 8vo, 1827), edited by J. S. Mill, represents a different and fuller redaction of the same papers. It is reprinted in vols. vi. and vii. of the Works with the Introductory View (now first published) prefixed. To the same period belongs Scotch Reform, with a Summary View of a Plan for a Judicatory, 1808 (second edition 1811, v. 1-60).
After 1808 Bentham's attention was especially drawn to political questions. His Catechism of Parliamentary Reform (iii. 433-557), written in 1809, was first published with a long 'introduction' in the Pamphleteer for January 1817. Bentham's Radical Reform Bill, with explanations (iii. 558-597) followed in December 1819. Radicalism not dangerous (iii. 598-622), written at the same time, first appeared in the Works (iii. 398-622). Elements of the Art of Packing as applied to Special Juries, especially in Cases of Libel Law (v. 61-186), written in 1809, was published in 1821. Swear not at all (v. 188-229) (referring chiefly to Oxford tests), written in 1813, was published in 1817. The King against Edmonds and The King against Wolseley (v. 239-261) were published in 1820. Official Aptitude minimized; Official Expense limited (v. 263-286), is a series of papers, first collected in 1831. It contains a Defence of Economy against Burke, and a Defence of Economy against George Rose, both written in 1810, and published in the Pamphleteer in 1817, with Observations on a speech by Peel in 1825, and Indications respecting Lord Eldon. The two last appeared in 1825. Connected with these political writings is the Book of Fallacies (ii. 375-488), edited by Bingham in 1824, from the 'most unfinished of all Bentham's writings.' Allusions seem to show that the original MSS. were written from 1810 to 1819. It was partly published by Dumont with the Tactique, etc.