Essays upon Several Moral Subjects, 2 volumes (Parts I, II, III in mixed issue with "An Essay Upon Gaming" 1707, sewn in)

London: J. & J. Knapton, et al./ George Strahan / J. Morphew, 1732. Hardcover. Good. 8vo, contemporary paneled calf, 2 volumes, good with some wear to joints, neatly strengthened inner hinges, one outer joint also reinforced neatly, light rubbing, loss of one label. Contents very good. A mixed issue: Parts I & II are in the first volume, 7th edition, 1732; Part III is a 3rd edition from 1720, and although the 46 pp. "Essay Upon Gaming" is dated 1707, is shorter, sewn in, and not mentioned on the title page, it appears that other copies of Part III cited by OCLC also contain this pamphlet too, so ours is not a unique copy. Collier was a moralistic anti-theatrical pamphleteer, Bishop, and supporter of James II; he refused to accept William and Mary as his king and queen after the Glorious Revolution and even went so far as to publicly exonerate two Jacobite would-be assassins of them. On the other hand, his stance on morality in the theatre was pronounced and his influence such that his pamphlet battles with Vanbrugh, Congreve, Dryden and others caused upheaval in the London theatre scene: Congreve even turned to writing exclusively comedies because of Collier's polemics. This book includes essays on whoredom, drunkenness, usury, duelling, fame, music, clothes, other more positive essays, including the entertainment value of books. There was apparently a fourth part issued as well.