Literature

Dublin: Andrew Milliken. 1841.Presentation copy from author to the Earl of Rosse. First edition. 8vo. 222x140mm. pp. i-iv, 5-89 [1]; 83 [1]. Two folding engraved plates. Original green cloth, paper label to spine. Staining to covers, spine faded, corners bumped. Internally very good. A nice copy of an important book creating an interesting link between two leading Irish scientists of the nineteenth century. The first part is a reprint of the six lectures given by Lloyd on unpolarized light in 1836 while the second part (on polarized light) appears for the first time. Rare in commerce.

London: Winchester and Varnham. 1821.First edition. Large quarto. 268x210mm. pp. [iii]-xv [1], viii, 164. Lacking half title. Blind stamp of the Royal United Services Institute Library at head of title page. Half calf, marbled paper covered boards, rebacked and corners repaired. Red morocco label to spine, lettered in gilt. Upper cover a little scuffed and edges rubbed. Front pastedown has presentation bookplate of RUSI with disposal stamp. Slightly foxed but overall a very good copy of an important book which resulted in the election of Knowles to be a Fellow of the Royal Society.

With plans of lectures on I. The Study of History and general Policy. II. The History of England. III. The Constitution and Laws of England. To which are added, remarks on a code of education, proposed by Dr. Brown, in a late treatise, intitled, Thoughts on civil liberty, &c. [London]: Printed for C. Henderson. 1765.First edition. 8vo. 203x120mm. pp. [4], iii, [1], 213, [11]. One engraved plate: "A Specimen of a Chart of Biography". Nineteenth century half calf, marbled paper covered boards.

Chelmsford: Clachar, Frost, and Gray. 1783 [but 1788].Small 8vo. 153x95mm. pp. xvii [i], 115 [1]; Part X, An endeavour to prove that reason is alone sufficient to the firm establishment of religion [1785]: 31 [1]; An Appendix to the Tenth Part: 64; A Physical Enquiry into the Powers and Properties of Spirit..., 1787, vi, 82; A Postscript to the Physical Enquiry..., 1787; 6, [4], 7-34; Part XI and XII: [141] -178; A Free Enquiry into the Enormous Increase of Attornies..., 1785 iv, 68. Modern half calf, marbled paper covered boards, original red roan label on spine, lettered in gilt.

London: Printed for John Morphew. 1713.First and only edition. 8vo in 4s. 180x115mm. pp. 23, [1]. In modern pink wrappers. Some slight foxing and staining to head of first gathering but overall a very good copy. Although published anonymously, this Tory response to Robert Hush's (i.e. Robert Walpole's) pamphlet The present state of fairy-land is recognised as the work of the doctor and satirist William Wagstaffe who moved in the same political and literary circles as Swift and John Arbuthnot.

London: printed for John Morphew. 1712.8vo. 182x118mm. pp. 22 [2pp. advertisements]. Sewn into modern grey wrappers. Final page has small stamp of Yale University Library Jun 18 19[81?]. In very good condition. John Arbuthnot (1667-1735) was highly regarded by contemporaries for his clever, supple mind and sharp pen. He was a member of the Scriblerus Club where he knew Pope and Swift (the latter is often said to have a hand in this work although he denied it) who admired Arbuthnot and felt that he should have taken greater credit for his talents as a writer, doctor and mathematician.

Grant of Probate of the will of John Bennett of Hawkhurst in the County of Kent to Anne Bennett his relict and executor named in the will. Single sheet, 152x131mm. The grant of probate is signed by the officers of the Court, a Court which, as the first words of the document remind us, was under the authority of "Oliver, Lord Protector of ye Commonwealth of England, Scotland, Ireland ye Dominions Territories thereto belonging".

London: Archibald Constable and Co. 1819.First edition. 12mo. 190x110mm. pp. viii, 170. Uncut in the original boards. Rubbing and some wear to extremities and boards are loose (but holding). Some foxing but otherwise in very good condition. Joseph John Gurney and Elizabeth Fry were brother and sister, scions of the great Gurney banking family. Elizabeth was already a noted campaigner for prison reform when she joined Joseph on a tour of prisons in Scotland and the North of England. This book is their report.

Accedunt I. Richteri Vita. II. Orationes Duae, De Arcanis aulae Iustinianeae: De Poetarum raritate, eiusq[ue] caussa. III. Mantissae Sex, Quarum prima Epistolas continet Casp. Hofmanni ad Varios; secunda Variorum ad Hofmannum; tertia Andr. Dinneri IC. ad Varios; quarta Variorum ad Dinnerum; quinta Variorum ad Varios; sexta deniq[ue] Iudicia septem. IV. Spicilegium Epistolarum Illustrium. Opus, quaesitis ac responsis Theologicis, Iuridicis, Politicis...Cum indicibys auctorum, rerum, verborum, copiosissimus. Norimbergae [Nuremberg]: Michaelis Endteri. 1662.Quarto, 190x152mm. pp. [26], 832, 68. Frontispiece portrait and engraved illustrated additional half title.

Amsterdami: Henr. Wetstenium.. 1697.8vo. 162x97mm. pp. [48], 192. Prettily bound in contemporary red morocco, both covers delicately tooled in gilt with a floral border framing an inner border of drawer-handle and flower motifs and small gilt dots, with arabesque cornerpieces. A central panel is decorated with drawer-handles, arabesque cornerpieces, leafy sprays and rococo patterns constructed with tiny dotted lines. All edges gilt, turn-ins tooled in gilt, marbled endpapers. Slight bumping and rubbing to corners and joints but otherwise a beautiful little binding in excellent condition.

contenant les offices de tous les Dimanches et des principales Fetes de l'annee en Latin et en Francais extrait de Breviaire et du missel de Rome augmente du Commun des Saints approve par Monseigneur ‘Archeveque de Paris. Paris: Morizot, Libraire-Editeur. n.d. [1860s].Small 8vo. 140x90mm. pp. [iv], 668. Chromolithography frontispiece and twelve engraved plates. Beautifully bound by Charles Francois Capé in blue morocco, lavishly decorated in gilt with the monogram "A.M." at each corner of the covers, spine with five raised bands, compartments richly decorated and second compartment lettered in gilt, cream silk endpapers, all edges gilt.

Parma [Bodoni]: Nel Regal Palazzo. 1791.152x102mm. pp. [2], viii, 180. Contemporary red morocco, gilt. Upper and lower covers with double fillet borders framing corner-pieces combining rococo and baroque designs and an elegant rococo centre-piece. Spine richly decorated and lettered in gilt. All edges gilt. Some slight marking to upper cover, corners lightly worn and a tiny worm hole at the top of the upper joint. Internally very good save for two tiny (and barely visible) worm holes on the inner margin at the gutter and some worming to the bottom margin of the last eleven leaves.

S. Pii V Pontificis Maximi jussu editum, et Urbani VIII. Auctoritate recognitum. Con l'Uffizio de'Morti, Sette Salmi ed altre diverse Orazioni. Venetiis: Apud Nicolaum Pezzana. 1758.8vo. (180x106mm) pp. [8], 405, [3]. Six engraved plates, one signed M. Heylbrouck and an engraved vignette to title page. Text in Latin and Italian. Contemporary Italian sheep, covers with elaborately tooled gilt borders, fan sprays at the inner corners. Centre of the boards have leaf motifs and two gilt oval frames with green morocco onlays bearing initials "G.P" (upper cover) and "A.P" (lower cover).

London: Privately published. 1959.One of five copies privately published "for the pleasure of Felix, Jean, Michael, Felicia, Stéphane". 187x125mm. pp. 71 [1bl] with five blank leaves at the beginning and end. Bound by Henri Mercher in 1960, signed to foot of front pastedown. Boards are made of gold inlaid Plexiglas, the gold spelling out "Jean". Black morocco spine lettered in gilt. With the original slipcase. A striking binding in immaculate condition and an excellent example of Mercher's innovative design and technique in which he used unorthodox materials. Henri Mercher (1912-1976) trained with Robert Bonfils at the École Estienne.

London: Printed by E. Owen. 1750.First edition. 4to. 264x205mm. pp. [viii], 191 [1bl]. Engraved title page within an attractive rococo border and engraved illustrations on the left margin of each page and three engravings in the text. Contemporary calf, upper and lower covers with gilt dog-tooth border and gilt fleurons at the corners. Spine with five raised bands, compartments lavishly decorated in gilt although somewhat rubbed and faded. Tan morocco label lettered in gilt. Corners bumped and rubbed and a small scuffed patch on the lower cover. Marbled endpapers. Edges sprinkled red. Internally very good.

Paris: de l'imprimerie de P. Didot L'Ainé. 1813.Five volumes. 8vo. 215x135mm. pp. xxiii [i bl], 325, [3]; 369, [3]; 370, [2]; 416; 325, [7]. Red half morocco, orange morocco covered boards. Raised bands, compartments decorated with a single gilt flower motif, second and fourth compartment lettered and numbered in gilt. Some marking to boards and rubbing and wear to extremities. Marbled endpapers. Internally very good but with some foxing. Some pages unopened. Front pastedown of each volume has the armorial bookplate of Charles Bowyer Adderley, Hams Hall, Warwickshire and the label of Hams Hall Library.

London: Printed by Adam Islip, Joice Norton and Richard Whitakers. 1636.Third edition. Folio. 340x225mm. pp. [40], 30, 29-30, 29-402, 373-1630, [48]. [72]. Illustrated throughout with woodcuts. Engraved title page by John Payne. Bound by C. Kalthoeber (label on verso of front free endpaper) in "russia extra" with a border of continuous "drawer-handle" design in blind. Inside this is a gilt double fillet enclosing a further, smaller "drawer-handle" design.

London: Printed for the F.C. and J. Rivington. 1819.Ninth edition. 8vo. 215x126mm. pp. xxxii, 363 [1bl]. Frontispiece portrait of Catharine Talbot. Smartly bound in tan calf with a double fillet border framing an attractive plait design in gilt inside which is a further double fillet in blind with a small rococo leaf motif in blind on the inner corners. Spine decorated and lettered in gilt. Edges of boards and turn-ins decorated in gilt, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled. Front pastedown has armorial bookplate of James Stewart Alltyrodyn.

London: Wyllyam Bonham. n.d. [1550].Third collected edition, ESTC describes it as one of four variants of this date with different publisher's names in the colophon. The text is the version edited by William Thynne. Folio. 295x197mm. ff. [8], cxciii, cxciii-cc, ccii-ccvii, ccx-cclxxi, cclxxiii-cclxxvii, cclxxix-ccclv. Lacking final blank leaf. Printed in double columns, woodcut initials and woodcuts of the Knight and the Squire. The Romaunt of the Rose has a separate title. Full brown sheep, single fillet border to covers, with corners decorated with crowned garlands framing dolphins. Spine with five raised bands, compartments decorated in gilt. Red edges.

London: Printed by W. Bulmer and Co. 1802.Second Bewick edition. 8vo. 235x160mm. pp. xxiii, [i bl]; 105 [1bl]. Illustrated with thirteen wood engravings, twelve by Thomas Bewick from designs by his brother John and the final one by Bewick's pupil Charlton Nesbit. Bound in navy blue morocco, decorated in gilt and blind. Turn ins decorated in gilt. Marbled endpapers. All edges gilt. Corners a little worn, some marking and scuffing to boards and rubbing to upper joint but overall a handsome binding in good condition. Some foxing and spotting but otherwise internally very good.

Lutetiae [Paris] Ex officina Roberti Stephani [Robert Estienne]. 1551.First edition. 4to. 252x166mm. pp. 357, [3]. Red morocco, single fillet gilt border, spine lettered in gilt. Gauffered edges. Marbled endpapers. Verso of front free end paper has the book label of John Sparrow and a manuscript shelfmark and, in pencil (in Sparrow's hand) the inscription "The editio princeps from the Lamoignon Library". This was one of the great French libraries belonging to generations of the Lamoignon family of statesmen, lawyers and scholars with close connections to the French monarchy.

London: T. Cautley Newby. 1868..8vo. (182x120mm) pp. [6], 144. Original blue cloth with gilt borders, decoration and lettering to upper cover and borders in blind to lower cover. Slight wear to corners and to head and foot of spine. All edges gilt. Internally very good with a little foxing in places.

London: Printed for E. and C. Dilly. 1775.First (and seemingly only) edition. 8vo (172x100mm). pp. vi, [2], 141, [1 bl]. Quarter calf, marbled paper covered boards. Some rubbing to corners and joints but a very nice copy and internally excellent. Sir Robert Strange (1721-1792) was a Scottish engraver. Well connected, although with a tendency to fall out with potential patrons, he was a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists.

London: Printed at C. Hullmandel's Lithographic Establishment. 1828.First edition, one of 150 copies. Large 4to 288x225mm. pp. [10], 147, [1 errata], 4pp adverts. 55 lithographed plates. Original green cloth, red morocco label to spine, lettered in gilt. Corners worn, spine somewhat faded and with tears to head and foot. Stain on lower cover. Internally very good with some slight spotting and foxing in places. The plates are in particularly good condition.The text provides a selective study of various aspects of architecture - "Defensive architecture", "Architecture of the Middle Ages" and "Domestic Architecture of England".