WILSON, Rev. T
An Archaeological Dictionary;
£650
London: Printed for D. Ogilvy, and J. Speare et al. 1793.
Description:
The Second Edition With Considerable Additions. 8vo. 210x125mm. Unpaginated, collates [A4]-Z4, Aa4-Ll4, *A4-*Z4, Aa4-Dd4. Full tree calf with double fillet gilt border inside which is a further gilt border in a Greek key design. Spine with five raised bands, compartments decorated in gilt, maroon morocco label, lettered in gilt. Marbled endpapers, front pastedown has armorial bookplate of Matthew Wilson and the front free endpaper has the bookplate of his grand-daughter Frances Mary Richardson Currer. A little wear to extremities and joints and some fading to spine but otherwise in very good condition. Some browning but generally excellent internally. Overall a very nice copy, with an excellent provenance, of the expanded second edition dedicated to Samuel Johnson who had written to thank Wilson for the copy of the first edition. Johnson's letter is reprinted here.
The Reverend Thomas Wilson (1747-1813) was the headmaster of Clitheroe grammar school, described as "a smart little man, octavo size" (a bit like this attractive book). He sought to inspire a love of intellectual enquiry in his pupils rather than drilling facts into them. At the heart of his teaching was the classical curriculum and if this lively, pithy, well-written dictionary is anything to go by he must have been a fine schoolmaster.
Description:
The Second Edition With Considerable Additions. 8vo. 210x125mm. Unpaginated, collates [A4]-Z4, Aa4-Ll4, *A4-*Z4, Aa4-Dd4. Full tree calf with double fillet gilt border inside which is a further gilt border in a Greek key design. Spine with five raised bands, compartments decorated in gilt, maroon morocco label, lettered in gilt. Marbled endpapers, front pastedown has armorial bookplate of Matthew Wilson and the front free endpaper has the bookplate of his grand-daughter Frances Mary Richardson Currer. A little wear to extremities and joints and some fading to spine but otherwise in very good condition. Some browning but generally excellent internally. Overall a very nice copy, with an excellent provenance, of the expanded second edition dedicated to Samuel Johnson who had written to thank Wilson for the copy of the first edition. Johnson's letter is reprinted here.
The Reverend Thomas Wilson (1747-1813) was the headmaster of Clitheroe grammar school, described as "a smart little man, octavo size" (a bit like this attractive book). He sought to inspire a love of intellectual enquiry in his pupils rather than drilling facts into them. At the heart of his teaching was the classical curriculum and if this lively, pithy, well-written dictionary is anything to go by he must have been a fine schoolmaster.
