PARKER, HYDE [REAR ADMIRAL]
Manuscript letter on replacing sails damaged in the battle of Granada
1779
Manuscript letter, 2pp., copy of correspondence from Parker on recto, response from officers on verso, all in the same secretarial hand, signed by Captain John Frodsham, John James and Joseph Priest, folio, mailing folds, folds reinforced, Carlisle Bay, Barbados, 3rd September 1779. Parker, addressing the Masters of his Majestys ships Elizabeth, Nonsuch, Yarmouth & Centurion, orders a survey of the shrouds and sails on the storeship Tortoise after Captain Frodsham are so much worn that they tendered unserviceable. The other side shows the results of the survey, and the need for the sails to be replaced. The letter is signed by Captain Frodsham, who made the complaint, and John James and Joseph Priest. After fighting in the Battle of Grenada, John Frodsham was promoted to Commanding Officer under Vice-Admiral John Byron. In August he was given command of his majestys store ship Tortoise. Byron returned home after the British fleet failed in an attempt to relieve Grenada, which the French forces of the Comte D'Estaing had just captured, and Rear Admiral Hyde Parker was elevated to the position of commander in chief of the Leeward Islands. Parker entered the navy at the age of 24 as an able seaman and sailed under Commodore Anson on his circumnavigation of the world, 1740-44. In 1762 when in command of the 'Grafton', 70 guns, in the East Indies, he captured a Spanish treasure ship. As flag officer at the Leeward Islands in 1779 he had considerable success in intercepting French storeships and privateers. In 1781 he commanded a squadron in the North Sea which intercepted a Dutch convoy of about equal force, which led to the fierce but indecisive Dogger Bank action. On his return Parker blamed Lord Sandwich for the small number and unseaworthiness of his ships. The King tried to pacify Parker and persuaded him to retain his command, to which he replied 'Sire, you have need of younger men and newer ships'. He went as Commander-in-Chief to the East Indies in 1782 but his flagship, the 'Cato', 50 guns, disappeared after touching at Rio de Janeiro on the way out and her fate can only be conjectured.
More from Bruce Marshall Rare Books
The Historie of the World: Commonly Called the Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland, Doctor of Physicke.
London, 1634, 2 volumes in 1. [58], 614, [42]; [12], 632, [85] pp. Collation: Vol. 1. (Title and 4 Preface leaves unsigned), 4, a-b6, A8, B-Iii6, Kkk4; Vol. 2. A-Ooo6, Ppp8 (-Ppp8, a blank). Folio (330 x 220mm), An attractive copy in contemporary dark tan calf, raised bands, later morocco label. Second English Edition of the translation by Philemon Holland, originally published by Islip in 1601. This encyclopaedia of ancient knowledge about the natural world had already had a great indirect influence in England, as elsewhere in Europe, but had not been translated into English before, and would not be again for 250 years. Indeed, after four centuries, Holland is still the only translator of this work to attempt to evoke its literary richness and beauty" (ODNB). The Natural History, divided into 37 libri, or books, was completed, except for finishing touches, in 77 CE. In the preface, dedicated to Titus (who became emperor shortly before Plinys death), Pliny justified the title and explained his purpose on utilitarian grounds as the study of the nature of things, that is, life (Preface, 13). Heretofore, he continued, no one had attempted to bring together the older, scattered material that belonged to encyclic culture (enkyklios paideia, the origin of the word encyclopaedia). Disdaining high literary style and political mythology, Pliny adopted a plain stylebut one with an unusually rich vocabularyas best suited to his purpose. A novel feature of the Natural History is the care taken by Pliny in naming his sources, more than 100 of which are mentioned. Book I, in fact, is a summary of the remaining 36 books, listing the authors and sometimes the titles of the books (many of which are now lost) from which Pliny derived his material. The Natural History properly begins with Book II, which is devoted to cosmology and astronomy. Here, as elsewhere, Pliny demonstrated the extent of his reading, especially of Greek texts. Books VII through XI treat zoology, beginning with humans (VII), then mammals and reptiles (VIII), fishes and other marine animals (IX), birds (X), and insects (XI). In Books XII through XIX, on botany, Pliny came closest to making a genuine contribution to science. Although he drew heavily upon Theophrastus, he reported some independent observations, particularly those made during his travels in Germany. Pliny is one of the chief sources of modern knowledge of Roman gardens, early botanical writings, and the introduction into Italy of new horticultural and agricultural. STC (2nd ed) 20029; Pforzheimer 496. Cf. PMM 5. The Political State
[PIRACY - BLACK BART] ONE OF THE EARLIEST DESCRIPTIONS OF A JOLLY ROGER PIRATE FLAG [1], 564-665pp., [7], woodcut headers, printers device at rear, very occasional light foxing, later half calf over marbled boards, rebound, 8vo, [London}, n.p., June 1722. A rare and very early description of Black Bart (Bartholomew Roberts, 1682-1722) and one of the earliest descriptions of the Jolly Roger pirate flag. Known as The Great Pyrate in the Golden Age of Piracy, Bartholomew Roberts is considered one of the most fearsome and successful pirates of his time. It is estimated he captured over 400 vessels in his lifetime. Early in his seafaring life, Roberts was an able navigator and second mate aboard the slave ship Princess. When anchored along the Gold Coast, the ship was captured by pirates led by another Welshman, Howell Davis. Forced to join the pirates, Roberts's navigational skills were put to use and Davis would take advantage of their mutual Welsh intelligibility. Shortly thereafter, Davis was ambushed and killed by authorities on Principe and within 6 weeks Roberts was elected by the crew as the new captain of the Royal Rover. After avenging Davis by plundering Principe, Roberts led his crew on a reign of piracy throughout the Caribbean, Brazil, Canada, and West Africa. Reports of his piratical rampage along the African coast reached Admiral Sir Chaloner Ogle, in command of the HMS Swallow. Ogle went looking for Roberts and his pirate crew. On 5 February he found them at anchor under Cape Lopez, with most of the pirates drunk. Believing HMS Swallow to be a merchantman, one of the pirate ships had given chase and out of sight of the others, was promptly taken. Ogle then returned to Cape Lopez under French colours where he was attacked by Royal Fortune with Roberts on deck: ‛dressed in a rich crimson damask waistcoat and breeches, a red feather in his hat, a gold chain round his neck, with a diamond cross hanging to it, a sword in his hand, and two pairs of pistols slung over his shoulders ‛ Hauling down his false colours and raising his ensign, Ogle engaged the enemy, delivering a broadside and killing Roberts, whose throat was torn away by grapeshot. Before being boarded, his crew wrapped his body, still armed and dressed in all his finery, into a sail and lowered it into the sea, honouring Robert's wish to be buried at sea. Of the 272 pirates captured by Ogle: 52 were hanged (18 of the bodies being tarred and put in gibbets), 65 were sold back into slavery, 20 were taken into the service of the Royal African Company and the remainder sent back to prison in London. The Political State reports the event of Roberts death: "Capt. Ogle, had taken by Stratagem the Ship of Roberts the great and notorious Pirate, and two other large Ships his Consorts." This author supports the theory that Ogle appeared to flee in a ruse to lure the pirates: "The Swallow ran away, and so decoy'd him out of the Reach of the other Ships." The work also describes Roberts flag under Roberts black Flag, having a white Skeleton in it. The death of ‛Black Bart was a sensation. The Great Pyrate captured the public imagination and ‛Black Bart was the most important figure in Captain Johnsons General History of the Pirates (1724), more so even than Blackbeard or Captain Kidd. In the years since, Roberts celebrity has only grown, with frequent mentions of his career in popular culture: from Robert Louis Stevensons Treasure Island to the film franchise Pirates of the Caribbean. DISQUISITIONUM MAGICARUM LIBRI SEX, QUIBUS CONTINETUR ACCURATA CURIOSARUM ARTIUM
DEL RIO, MARTIN [12], 1181, [31], engraved second title with 11 vignettes from Exodus, early inscription to title, woodcut initials, occasional light foxing, bookplate to pastedown, early vellum over boards, manuscript title to spine, yapped edges, 4to, Cologne, Peter Henning, 1657 The Greatest Counter-Reformation Compendium of Magic and Witchcraft. Jesuit theologian Martin Del Rio was one of the chief advocates of the witch trials, credited with importing the beliefs of the Malleus Maleficarum into the Low Countries. As a Catholic, Del Rio was concerned by the issues witchcraft raised about the nature of the magic that lay at the heart of religious identity. Del Rio studied or taught at Jesuit colleges across Catholic Europe, including at the College of Clermont in Paris where he was taught by the Spanish demonologist Juan Maldonado. Maldonados passionate writings against witches deeply influenced Del Rio. Based on Del Rios knowledge of the classics and familiarity with Church history, Disquisitionum magicarum libri six summed up a vast knowledge about demons and witches. Del Rios work sets out in considerable detail the range of contemporary practices of magical healing and divining as a compendious assault on popular superstitions. He questions the validity of entire sciences such as natural magic, astrology, mathematics and alchemy, as well as whether characters, sigils, words and charms have any intrinsic power. Yet he also maintained that the Church had an arsenal of sacred objects, blessings and pious practices which were effective against witchcraft. As a Catholic, Del Rio was forced to define central features of his faith and the nature of the divine. It was difficult to know where to draw the line. To Del Rios annoyance, sceptics seized on the works more moderate comments. However the work was very successful, being cited as authoritative by demonologists well into the eighteenth century. This edition predates the wave of witch trials in northern Germany by just three years. Many copies of this work were found in libraries belonging to both Catholics and Protestants in Germany. Provenance: Fintray House [USTC:2100266; Witch Craze, Roper, 2004; The Oxford Handbook of Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe and Colonial America, 2013 Witchcraft in Kenmore 1730-57: Extracts from the Kirk Session Records of the Parish
CHRISTIE, JOHN. FIRST EDITION, 19, [1]pp, Edinburgh College Library Stamp to title with Withdrawn stamp over the top, no other marks, text very clean, stapled pamphlet, printed covers, 8vo (180 x 125mm), Aberfeldy, Duncan Camerson & Son., 1893. A very scarce piece of 19th century Scottish ephemera. Between 1730 and 1757 several accusations of Witchcraft and enchantments were brought against various women in the Perthshire town of Kenmore. These accusations were found in the records of the Kirk Session, a church court responsible for monitoring moral and religious behaviour. These appear, in the main, to have been a conflation of traditional Highland charms and superstitions with the diabolical arts.
Arte Magica annichilata. Libri Tre.
MAFFEI, FRANCESCO SCIPIONE (1675-1755) FIRST EDITION,[10], 328, [6]pp., without final blank, woodcut printers device to title, inhabited woodcut initials, head and tail pieces, contemporary boards, spine decorated with a repeating crescent pattern, manuscript title, 4to, Verona, for Antonio Andreoni, 1754 This is the third work by Maffei aimed at demolishing superstitious thought through the use of reason. Francesco Scpione Maffei (1675-1755) was an antiquarian with a humanist education who felt the entire edifice of popular belief in witches, enchantment and the Satanic had to be swept away. In his works he declared war, not only on the belief in witches, but broadened it to include all superstitious beliefs. Mixing both Enlightenment thinking and theological ideas based on scripture, Maffei powerfully argues away the Devils power on Earth. Showing considerable dexterity, Maffei managed to maintain the appearance of moderation while campaigning against belief in demonic power in order to avoid gaining the attention of the Inquisition by being labelled a Naturalist. In this work, in particular, there are sections dedicated to witchcraft, magic in Ancient Greece and Rome, as well as pacts with the devil. [Radical Enlightenment: Philosophy and the making of modernity, 1650-1750, Jonathan I. Israel, 2001] A New Voyage Round the World, Describing particularly, The Isthmus of America, several Coasts and Islands in the West Indies, the Isles of Cape Verd, the Passage by Terra del Fuego, the South Sea Coasts of Chili, Peru, and Mexico
DAMPIER, CAPTAIN WILLIAM 2 vol., fourth edition, stamp to titles blacked out, [10], vi, 550, [4]pp. 5 maps and plates (4 folding); [8], 184, 132, [4], 112, [76], 7 folding maps and plates, vol. 1 folding plates reinforced with linen, slight foxing, 20th C. half black calf over marbled boards, marbled endpapers, original end papers, 8vo, London, for James Knapton, 1699. One of the Most Famous of the Buccaneering Voyages. William Dampier, an orphan of Weymouth, England, spent twelve and a half years as a pirate, plundering ships in the West Indies and Central America, and eventually making his way across the Pacific to the Philippines, the East Indies, and Australia. Having set out in 1679, he returned home in 1691 and published his carefully-kept journal in 1697; it proved to be a sensation. Dampier may have been a buccaneer, but he was such an astute observer of people, places, and natural history and his works are often included with the publications of more explicitly scientific expeditions. William Dampier combined a swashbuckling life of adventure with pioneering scientific achievements. In 1676, he started his career as a buccaneer preying on ships on the Spanish Main and struggling through the impenetrable jungle of the Isthmus of Panama in search of gold. He could easily have ended up on the gallows. Poor and obscure yet determined to sail the world to make his fortune, he was to become the first person to circumnavigate the globe three times. Among his many extraordinary achievements, Dampier mapped the winds and the currents of the world s oceans for the first time. He inspired Darwin one hundred and fifty years later with his notes on the wildlife of the Galapagos islands and elsewhere. His portrait in London s National Portrait Gallery shows a lean, strong-featured man with a thoughtful expression, brown shoulder-length hair and a plain coat, holding a book in his hand. He is styled Pirate and Hydrographer but even that tells only part of his story. He was a pioneering navigator, naturalist , travel writer and explorer, as well as hydrographer who was, indeed, quite happy to seek his fortune as a pirate. Preston. It was his descriptions of the aborigines at King Sound which probably inspired Swift's 'Yahoos' in Gulliver's Travels. After years of adventure along the coasts of Spanish America Dampier joined Capt. Swan in the Cygnet in 1685. Swan was also eager to try his hand in the western Pacific, and after taking several small Spanish prizes among the East Indian Islands, they made for the vaguely known coast of New Holland, which was sighted on 4th June, 1688, near the Lacepede Islands. The vessel sailed along the coast to the entrance of King Sound, where she was repaired. Here Dampier made a full survey of the country and noted its inhabitants as the most miserable people in the world. As such, Dampier is regarded as being the first Englishman to set foot on the Australian mainland. This is the corrected 4th edition of Volume I, as issued with the first edition of Volume II. [Borba de Moraes, pages I:242-243; European Americana 699/57-58; Hill 419; Sabin 18374-5.] A Diary of the Wreck of his Majestys Ship Challenger, on the Western Coast of South America, in May 1835
[ROTHERY, LIEUTENANT G. A. J.] FIRST EDITION, [3],160, folding engraved frontispiece panorama of Molquilla encampment, , 3 maps and plates (2 folding), contemporary inscription of Williams Library on each plate as a clear deterrent to slicers, very occasional light staining to margin, contemporary half calf, rebacked, original spine laid on, boards with printed labels of Williams English & Foreign Library, Cheltenham, corners restored, 8vo, London, Longman, Rees, Orme et al., 1836. A detailed account of the seven-week ordeal which the survivors of the wrecked Challenger endured on the barren Chilean coast, by one of the ships officers. The Challenger sailed from Rio de Janeiro on 1st April, bound for Talcahuano, under the command of Sir Michael Seymour. She was sailing off the coast of Chile when she struck rocks on 19th May 1835. It is believed it was caused by an unusual reversal of current due to the earthquake which struck Conception on 20th February, 1835. Although the Challenger was lost, the crew were able to salvage a considerable amount of her stores and to establish a camp. Concerned about the location, the survivors abandoned their camp on 8th June and established a new camp at the mouth of the Lebu River, about 16 kilometres (10 mi) north. HMS Beagle, under captain Robert FitzRoy, was surveying the coast and about to leave Valparaíso on 14th June when an English merchant got a letter which mentioned the shipwreck. FitzRoy was convinced it was the Challenger captained by his friend. He took HMS Blonde south to Conception to search for Seymours Lebu camp. They had some difficulty finding the Lebu River, but they saw the signal fires at the camp. With some difficulties, they had the survivors on board on the 15th June. The account also includes a brief description of the earthquakes destruction of Conception, and concludes with Seymours court-martial acquittal. This is the Third HMS Challenger, which is best known for its responsibility for the creation of the colony of Western Australia in 1829, under the command of Charles Fremantle. Provenance: A. Williams Library A. Williams Library moved to the Eastern side of Cheltenhams Assembly rooms in 1816, which were very tastefully and elegantly fitted up the most fashionable and agreeable retreat during the season, and although it succeeded in attracting 1,232 subscriptions by 1825, the library dwindled towards the end of the century, closing in 1896 with a 6-day sale of over 200,000 books. (Hembry, British Spas, 1997). Richard Luckett From the library of Richard Luckett, Pepys Librarian, Magdalene, Cambridge, with his neat typographical bookplate, designed by Will Carter of the Rampant Lions Press. [Sabin no. 19961; Abbey 726; Palau; Hill, 1493] A Mirror for Witches
FORBES, ESTHER First Edition, Second Issue, title in red and black, wood engraved frontispiece, twelve wood engraved plates by Robert Gibbings, publishers black cloth, 8vo, London, William Heinemann, 1928. A Mirror of Witches is set in Salem during the witch trials of 1691 and 1692, following a Doll Bilby, a girl accused of being a witch by her relatives. Based on contemporary sources, it is written as an authentic seventeenth century chronicle of a witch's life. Forbes persuasively demonstrated the toll of the trials and the pressure to confess through her imaginative reconstruction of the spirit of the time. Esther Forbes (1891-1967) American novelist, childrens writer and historian. She was born in Westborough, Massachusetts. Her father was a judge and her mother a researcher of local history. After graduating from Bradford Academy in 1912, she studied History at the University of Wisconsin. Forbes' research and writing skill established her prominence among historical novelists. A Mirror for Witches was incredibly popular, with a second issue being printed just two months after the first, and still remains in print today. Forbes work precedes the more famous The Crucible by Arthur Miller by decades, and has also been adapted for the stage; as a ballet by Denis Aplvor (1952) and as an opera, Bilbys Doll by Carlisle Floyd (1976). [Past Imperfect, Towner, 1993; The Cambridge Guide to Womens Writing in English, Sage, 1999] On the Extensive Atmosphere of Mars. In a Letter to His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, K.G., President of the Royal Society.
SOUTH, JAMES 4pp., 15-17p., unbound, stitch marks in left margin, 4to, from Philosophical Transactions from the Royal Society of London, 1832. Sir James South, a British astronomer, wrote this paper to argue for the lack of atmosphere on mars using first hand evidence. He witnessed a star go behind the planet Mars, but the star did not show an atmosphere, which would have been visible if one existed. South ends his paper: I can arrive at no other conclusion than that either some physical change has occurred in the Extensive Atmosphere of Mars, or that the accuracy of the observations of Cassini and of Roëmer must be regarded as untenable South originally trained as a chemist, then as a surgeon, before finally turning to astronomy. In 1821 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London, and was joint founder of the Astronomical Society of London, later becoming the Royal Astronomical Society. South and John Herschel jointly produced a catalogue of 380 double stars in 1824, re-observing many of the double stars that had been discovered by William Herschel. South then continued and observed another 458 double stars over the following year. Craters on Mars and the Moon are named in his honour.
Astrologia Restaurata: or Astrologie restored:being an introduction to the general and chief part of the language of the stars
RAMESEY, WILLIAM Second edition, [8], 29, [3], 38, [12], 49-112, [12], 213-333, [19], woodcut headpieces and initials, rare frontispiece portrait, slight staining to initial two leaves, lacking blank F4, overall a very good copy, twentieth century half calf over marbled boards, spine gilt, 4to (275 x 180mm), London, Printed for Robert, 1654. The son of clockmaker David Ramsey, William (1626-1676) changed the spelling of his name to Ramesey (which he said meant joy and delight) because he thought his ancestors came from Egypt. He trained as a doctor in Montpellier, graduating in 1652 and later became physician in ordinary to Charles II. Astrologia Restaurata begins with Rameseys autobiography and a short defence of astrology before dealing with the technical and scientific aspects of the subject. The first book is an Introduction to the Judgement of the Stars which reveals how to calculate a chart , the meanings of the planets, signs, aspects and how to read them and use them in a delineation. There follows an Introduction to Elections which is a detailed set of rules for electional astrology - i.e. how to choose the best time for a particular action. The final book is devoted to the study of heavenly cycles upon peoples and nations. This second edition is textually the same as the first but with a new title. The frontispiece of Ramesey, engraved by Flemish painter Thomas Gross, is very scarce and not even called for by ESTC. This important work is very scarce, ESTC locating just five copies in the UK (two in the Wellcome) and ten in the US and one in Australia. [Wing R 202; ESTC R10395]
Histoire de lInquisition et son origine
[MARSOLLIER, JACQUES] FIRST EDITION, [1], 502pp., a pirated edition (the printer's device is not the more usual armillary sphere image), contemporary vellum over boards, manuscript title to spine, speckled edges, 12mo, Cologne, Pierre Martineau, 1693 First Edition, published at the imaginary address of Pierre Marteau. The historical account of the Catholic inquisition was placed on the Vaticans prohibited book list in 1694. Jacques Marsollier (1647-1724), a French historian and Genevievian Abbot, studied the Inquisition, including censorship. Marsollier establishes the history almost exclusively from Philipp Limborchs Historia Inquisitionis which was published a year earlier. He also references Lhistoire ecclésiastique by Dupin and Le voyage by Dellon. [USTC:2584009; Caillet III]
A MILITARY ORDER WRITTEN TWO DAYS AFTER THE BATTLE OF WORCESTER.
CROMWELL, OLIVER CROMWELL DOCUMENT SIGNED TWO DAYS AFTER THE BATTLE OF WORCESTER Manuscript letter, 1pp, mailing folds, torn at head with loss of text, occasional fold tears, integral blank, red wax seal, signed O Cromwell, overall size 310 x 200mm, 5th September, 1651. This document orders the protection of a local citizen and his family. Addressed To all Officers & Soul[ie]rs und[e]r my Comand ordering that no violence be offered to William Baker and his family, and to forbeare to take anie more of their goodes by way of plunder[.]. Cromwell led the Parliamentarian forces against the Royalists in the English Civil War. Fighting continued for years and finally ended at the Battle of Worcester on September 3, 1651, with a Parliamentarian victory. The battle destroyed any lasting hopes the Royalists may have had of regaining power by the use of military force; as well as setting the stage for Cromwell's republican rule, commonly known as the Protectorate. Charles escaped into exile in France and the long and bitter Civil War was finally over.- $4,946
- $4,946
Letter to J.H. Addington
BARROW, SIR JOHN [Secretary of the Admiralty] Signed letter,1pp., mailing folds, folio, Admiralty Office, 17th July 1817. A letter to J. H. Addinton, saying he has put his letter before the Commissioners of the Admiralty and has it in command to acquaint you that their Lordships having directed Commissioner Cunningham to furnish you for Lord Sidmouths information with a list of the Articles taken from those placed at his Lordships disposal for the sick men in the Batavier agreeably to your request., signed John Barrow. The HMS Batavier was captured by the Royal Navy from the Batavian Navy on 30 August 1799. She functioned as a hospital ship from April 1809 until January 1817, after which she was moved to Blackwall to receive distressed seamen. Her final service was as a prison ship based at Sheerness from September 1817 until finally being broken up in March 1823. This letter was written in the short period when HMS Batavier was situated in Blackwall, London. Barrow was appointed Second Secretary to the Admiralty in 1804. In this capacity he promoted British exploration, most notably of West Africa and the North Polar Region, with attempts to find a north-west passage from east to west through the Canadian Arctic.- $651
- $651
The Popular Superstitions and Festive Amusements of the Highlanders of Scotland
STEWART, WILLIAM GRANT New Edition, xi, [4], 203p., illustrated frontispiece, ownership note to flyleaf head, original publisher's cloth, title gilt in centre board, spine sunned, 8vo, London, Aylott and Jones, [1851] Stewart s groundbreaking work in which he attempts to systematically classify supernatural beings. The Table of Contents impressed readers with its formal chapter divisions, slicing up supernatural beings according to their properties, powers and traits. The author discusses Highland ghosts, fairies, brownies, water-kelpies, as well as Highland festivities from Halloween, Christmas, and Beltane. The third part is dedicated entirely to the history of witchcraft, with the following headings: Origins and History of Witchcraft Of the Agents, Qualifications, and Ceremonies of their Constitution Of the Personal Similitude of the Agents or Members of the Craft Of their Professional Powers and Practices Of the Witch s Powers of Transformation Safeguards from Witchcraft Distinguished for its classifactory, Enlightenment spirit, Stewart s work mirrors a form of the late Romantic travel book. These are not just travel books, charting moral and psychological, as well as literal paths, but often encyclopaedias of folklore, natural history, superstitions, stories; the authorial figure in questions is a historian, an archivist, a collector. Stewarts work is defined as part of a well-exemplified fascination with the Highland landscape. His work reflects the language of eighteenth-century primitivism, and also draws on the romantic cult of the picturesque and sublime. The work had considerable impact, influencing famous authors like Sir Walter Scott and the Brothers Grimm. The Grimms relied heavily on Stewart's work in their translation of Croker's work on Irish fairy legends. [History of British Folklore, Dorson, 1999; Scotland and the 19th-Century World, 2012]- $391
- $391
Bemühung den Aberglaube zu stürzen.
STERZINGER, FERDINAND FIRST EDITION, [12], 187pp., woodcut printers device, head and tail-pieces, slight foxing to first few leaves, marginal tear to 135/136pp not affecting text, contemporary half calf over marbled boards, spine gilt, red and green morocco labels, a.e.r., marbled endpapers, 8vo, Munich, Lentner, 1785. The Bavarian Witchcraft War First Edition of this important work on the witch hunt craze that was so endemic in Bavaria during the mid eighteenth century. Ferdinand Sterzinger (1721-1786), a Bavarian priest of the Theatine order and one of the leaders of the Bavarian attack on witchcraft in the 1760s, wrote this deeply sceptical work. As an Enlightened Catholic thinker, he found the notion of physically dangerous demons silly and unbiblical. As a prominent member of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Sterzinger ignited a noisy discussion on witchcraft in his Academie Address which he delivered on 13th October 1766, a decade after the last execution of a witch in Bavaria. In a speech that was only sanctioned on a technicality, Sterzinger launched a full-frontal assault on witchcraft beliefs. He defined witchcraft beliefs as common prejudice, skirting around the Academys rule forbidding the discussion of religious topics. Sterzinger treated the belief in witchcraft as a laughable superstition, relegating the theological authority of St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas into the era of fairy tales. Sterzinger was tactful enough to establish certain reservations to avoid offending church authorities. His concessions reveal some of the fundamental paradoxes of the early Catholic Enlightenment, which was considerably more tradition-bound than its Protestant counterpart. Sterzinger could not dare take the decisive step of rehabilitating all the victims of the persecutions as innocents. However this did not diminish Sterzingers resilient insistence that witchcraft is [ ] in and of itself an empty and vain nothingness, a prejudice and imagining of unstable minds. His speech, swiftly issued in printed form, touched on the Bavarian witchcraft war (Bayrischer Hexenkrieg), the last major public debate on the subject in early modern Europe. Sterzingers presentation was well received in all German speaking regions, winning approval from champions of the Enlightenment. [ VD 18 13823132;, Ackermann IV, 918;Exorcism and Enlightenment, Midelford, 2005; Witchcraft Persecutions in Bavaria, Behringer, 2002]- $2,603
- $2,603
The Humourist. Being Essays upon Several Subjects:Treating of New-writers, Enthusiasm, Spleen, Country Entertainment, Love, History of Treatinanage, Ambition and Pride, Idlencss, Euckleness of human Nature, Prejudice, Witchcraft, Ghosts &c., Weather, Female Disguises, Art of modern Conversation, Use of Speech, Punishment of staying at Home on Sunday &c., Criticism, Art of Begging, Anger, Avarice, Death, Grief, Keeping the Ten Commandments, Travel misapply d, Flattery, Abuse of Words, Credulity, Eating, Love of Power, Expedients to get rid of Time, Retirement, Story of W. Hacket the Enthusiast.
[GORDON, THOMAS]. Fourth edition: xxx; [6], 240, [12]pp, ownership inscription in pen to title page, woodcut initials, head and tail pieces, armorial bookplate to front pastedown, sprinkled calf, ruled in gilt, contrasting red roan lettering-piece to spine, spine numbered I in gilt (complete in one vol. according to ESTC, the BL. copy of the 1741 edition is also numbered I and bound uniformly with a second vol, containing the 1735 edition of the text), joints rubbed but holding, head cap worn, 12mo (16.5 x 10.5 cm) London, Printed for T. Woodward et al, 1741. INCLUDES REFLECTIONS ON WITCHCRAFT AND GHOSTS A fascinating miscellany attributed to the Whig pamphleteer and classicist Thomas Gordon (d.1750), comprising 34 essays on various themes from enthusiasm (Of all Sorts of Madness, a religious Delirium is that which, in my Opinion, calls for the most Pity), to grief (It covers the Soul with Blackness and Horror). Gordon's reflections on witchcraft and ghosts show him to be ahead of his time. Questioning why women rather than men suffered under the accusations, he noted first, the Men having the whole Discretion of this Affair, are wise enough to slip their own Heads out of the Collar; and, secondly, an old Woman is grown by Custom to the most avoided, and most unpitied creature under the Sun, the very Name carrying contempt and Satire in it. ESTC records only 4 copies in institutional collections in the British Isles. Provenance: Francis Erys, Enys, near Penryn, Cornwall (bookplate); Jno' Enys (inscription). [ESTC T152044.]- $3,254
- $3,254
Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, addressed to J. G. Lockhart, Esq.
SCOTT, WALTER Second Edition, engraved frontispiece after J. Skene, ownership annotations to front free endpaper, contemporary green half calf over marbled boards, slightly rubbed, title in gilt to spine, 12mo, London, John Murray, 1831. Second edition of Walter Scott's popular work on witchcraft and the supernatural. A lifelong student of folklore, Scott was able to draw on a wide-ranging collection of primary and secondary sources. The work was commercially successful and exercised a significant influence in promoting the Victorian vogue for Gothic and ghostly fiction.- $651
- $651
Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, addressed to J. G. Lockhart, Esq.
SCOTT, WALTER AND CRUIKSHANK, GEORGE [ILLUSTRATOR] FIRST EDITION, [4], IX, [1], 402p., engraved uncoloured frontispiece after J. Skene, extra illustrated with 12 plates by Cruikshank, later straight grained brown morocco, boards twice ruled in gilt, original spine ruled in gilt, spine gilt with fleurons, title, author and year, raised bands, t.e.g., original endpapers, 12mo, London, John Murray, 1830. First Edition of Walter Scott's popular work on witchcraft and the supernatural. A lifelong student of folklore, Scott had long harboured the idea of writing about witchcraft. He was able to draw on a wide-ranging collection of primary and secondary sources, including the large occult library at his stately home at Abbotsford. Empirical archivist, Robert Pitcairn, had been greatly influenced and inspired by the work of Sir Walter Scott and sent copies of the more dramatic cases to the author almost as soon as he found them. Pitcairns private generosity with his research notes, and the public interest they generated through their serialised publication in popular literary magazines, ensured that there would be a ready market for a book on witchcraft by Scotland's foremost historical novelist. The resulting book, Letters on Demonology and Witchcraft, was written very quickly during the summer months of 1830 and published together with a series of illustrative plates by Cruikshank in time for Christmas. The work was a bestseller and exercised a significant influence in promoting the Victorian vogue for Gothic and ghostly fiction. The book takes the form of ten letters addressed to J. G.Lockhart, the epistolary mode permitting Scott to be both conversational in tone and discursive in method. In these, Scott presents a wide survey of attitudes to demonology and witchcraft from the Old Testament period to his own day. Scott's account is amply illustrated with anecdotes and traditional tales and may be read as an anthology of uncanny stories as much as a philosophical treatise. He also considers the topics of ghosts, fairies, brownies, elves, second sight and mythologies of the various Germanic peoples. Belief in these phenomena is presented as the result of ignorance and prejudice, which eventually dispersed by the rise of rational philosophy in the 18th century. Examining Scottish criminal trials for witchcraft, Scott notes that the nature of evidence admissible gave free reign to accusers and left the accused no chance of escape. Prisoners were driven to confess through despair and the desire to avoid future persecution. One trial which Scott had been quick to realise the importance of is that of Isobel Gowdie. Her confessions, rediscovered by Pitcairn in the archives of the Edinburgh High Court, became a sensational new source of Scottish witchcraft, bringing the term coven - to denote a group of witches- into popular usage and attesting to a wealth of fairy lore in the highlands of Scotland, that was far removed from the traditional demonologists. Scott also observed that trials for witchcraft were increasingly connected with political crimes, just as in Catholic countries accusations of witchcraft and heresy went together. Throughout he treats his subjects in an analytical, rationalist manner, although pockets of superstition remain. Lockhart was Scott's friend, and later his son-in-law, and biographer. He was married to Scott's eldest daughter Sophia, and they settled on Scott's estate until he became editor of The Quarterly Review in London. His biography of Scott was his greatest book. [Cohen 188 (plates) and 731; Embracing the Darkness A Cultural History of Witchcraft, Callow, 2018]- $2,343
- $2,343
The History of Oracles and the Cheats of the Pagan Priests, in Two Parts
FONTENELLE, LE BOVIER DE BERNARD; BEHN, APHRA [TRANSLATOR] FIRST EDITION, [20], 227, [5], occasional light foxing, title stabilised with tissue, repairs to front and rear gutters, light pencil annotations and manicules, contemporary speckled calf, corners rubbed, 8vo, London, 1688 First Edition of a Scarce Work. A translation of Bernard Le Bouvier de Fontenelles Histoire De Oracles (1687) by Aphra Behn. This work on debunking the Oracles of Ancient Greece and Rome as frauds of the priests used to manipulate the masses, rather than under Demonic influence as suggested by the Church. This is an abridged version of Antonius van Dales Latin work De Oraculis Ethnicorum (1683). Van Dales argument against the supernatural and the role of the Devil in the pagan oracular tradition was highly influential, but was not popularised until Fontelles adapted version two decades later. Aphra Behn (1640-1689) was one of the first English women to earn her living by her writing. She broke cultural barriers and opened up public space for women writers. She was employed by Charles II to work as a spy in Antwerp. During the turbulent political times of the Exclusion Crisis, she wrote an epilogue and prologue that brought her into legal trouble; she thereafter devoted most of her writing to prose genres and translations. The History of Oracles was the penultimate work to be published before her death in 1689. The dedication by Behn is to Lord Jeffreys, known as the "hanging judge". He became notable during the reign of King James II, rising to the position of Lord Chancellor. His conduct as a judge was to enforce royal policy, resulting in a historical reputation for severity and bias. Jeffreys historical notoriety comes from his actions in 1685, after Monmouths Rebellion, where he was responsible for a high number of executions. Estimates of the numbers executed for treason have been given as high as 700. Behn's dedication has been criticised as a "triumph of sycophancy". Her name does not appear in the work, but the dedication is signed A.B. This dedication was removed from later editions.- $1,432
- $1,432
A Historical Account of the Belief in Witchcraft in Scotland
SHARPE, CHARLES KIRKPATRICK First Edition Thus. 268p., half title, title reinforced along margin, advertisements present at rear, publishers red cloth, original paper label on spine, slightly toned, 8vo, London; Hamilton, Adams and Co; Glasgow; Thomas D. Morison, 1884. Known as a Scottish antiquary and artist, this work from Sharpe was first published in 1819 as part of Memorials by Robert Law. Walter Scott uses the information from Sharpe in his Letters on Demonology 1830. Specifically the last case in Scotland of an unnamed woman who was executed at Dornoch. Sharpe dated the execution to 1722, adding further embellishments that the victim sat very composedly warming herself by the fire prepared to consume her while the other instruments of death were making ready. Sharpes date of 1722 was accepted by Scott, but maintains the date and information was derived from the Countess of Sutherland. Walter Scott, convinced that the countess was the subject of a witch hunt herself over the Sutherland Clearances, emphasised her good works. As part of the book there is an 8 page list of Scottish books on Witchcraft. [The last of the witches? The survival of Scottish witch belief, Cowan and Henderson, 2002]- $391
- $391
