Search

Scarce first edition of this work on the medieval Scottish church, inscribed by the author: ‘James T. Gibson Craig esqe with the author’s compliments.’ Nineteenth-century author and historian, Joseph Robertson (1810-66) wrote widely on the history of Scotland; this pamphlet preceded by some years his seminal work on medieval ecclesiastical history, Concilia Scotiae (1866), a two-volume edition of the pre-Reformation Scottish church’s canon law and constitutions.

A collection of nineteenth century Scottish ecclesiastical pamphlets, principally by Robert Lee, the reforming Church of Scotland minister. Lee’s contribution was primarily in the reform of worship rather than theological debate, believing that worship should comprise three elements: word, prayer and praise. His controversial stance on a variety of topics led him to frequent clashes with conservative clergy and in 1859 he was unsuccessfully charged with unlawful innovations in worship.

First edition. The folding map shows the countries and places mentioned in the New Testament. Wood (1765-1826) was a Manchester-born Wesleyan minister, serving the circuits of the Wesleyan Connexion as an itinerant preacher for 39 years. He published at least six books (including this one) issued at Whitby and Huddersfield. COPAC gives Oxford and Cambrige only. OCLC lists US copies at Arizona, Yale, United Library (Illinois), Fordham and Toronto.

First edition. Taylor, or ‘Taylor of Stanford Rivers’, was an earnest and prolific scholar of early Christian history and it is said that he coined the word ‘patristic’ to refer to this field of study. ‘He argued in favour of the historical validity of the Bible in History of the Transmission of Ancient Books to Modern Times (1827) and The Process of Historical Proof (1828)’ (Oxford DNB). A devout Anglican, he was bitterly opposed to the Tractarian Movement led by Newman and Pusey and he argued tirelessly against the movement’s interpretations of scripture.

An attractive polyglot New Testament. Arranged in three columns of miniature type throughout, the French text is the Geneva version, the English text the Authorized version, and the Dutch text the States-General version. The engraved title is followed by the Estates General’s privilege leaf, dated 1683. This copy is from the collection of Quaker mathematician and teacher John Jackson of Warrington (1793-1875) bequeathed to the town of Warrington. British and Foreign Bible Society Library, Historical Catalogue of printed Editions of the Bible, 1450 (Polyglot), 626 (English), 3329 (Dutch), 3768 (French).

First edition in French of Baker’s popular Reflections upon Learning (1699), a work designed to display the inadequacies of human knowledge and reason and to emphasise the ultimate need for belief in revelation. It proved controversial (provoking an angry response from geologist and physician John Woodward) and was widely reprinted in England. Bacon and Descartes, the twin pillars of scientific civilisation, raised on either side of the English Channel, are closely considered, though the spirit of scientific enquiry is frequently disparaged. The work of a conservative Anglican antiquary, its reception in France is perhaps surprising. The French translation was reprinted at Amsterdam the following year. Rochedieu, p. 15.

One of numerous foreign-language editions published at this time by the British and Foreign Bible Society.This copy preserves the original British and Foreign Bible Society binding with elaborate panels stamped from a single plate.

First and only edition of this virulent sectarian attack on the antinomian artist/engraver Garnet Terry (‘Onesimus’) by a dissenting ‘Minister of the Gospel at Nethaneel chapel, Eden Street, Tottenham Court Road’. The ‘minister of darkness’, Terry, and his ‘religious and political principles’, promulgated from ‘his haunt in Clare Court, Drury Lane’ are roundly dismissed in seven letters. M’Culla refers repeatedly to a book by Onesimus put into his hands by a bookseller, which we have been unable to identify from library catalogues: Terry’s earlier publications appear to have been on the subject of engraving or were simply short pamphlets. The work referred to by M’Culla ran to over 200 pages, if we can trust his references.

The imprint and final advert provide a useful insight into the dissemination of non-conformist writings. COPAC lists only the British Library copy; not found in OCLC.

First Elzevir edition of this biography of the French protestant hero Gaspard de Coligny.

Coligny had been appointed Admiral of France in 1552 and was captured at the siege of St Quentin in 1557. In the two years of his captivity he became a convinced Calvinist and went on to lead the French Huguenots in the religious wars against Catholic dominance in France. He was implicated in the murder of Francis, Duke of Guise in February 1563, an event which was to lead ultimately to the Massacre of St Bartholomew in 1572, in which Coligny himself was killed under the direct supervision of the Duke’s son, Henry.

Coligny’s life became an inspiration to Protestants throughout Europe. It was first printed in Latin in 1575 and had previously appeared in French earlier the same year, in a quarto edtion. Willems 564 ‘ce petit volume, parfaitement exécuté, est un des plus recherché de la collection elzevirienne.’