Essays upon Several Moral Subjects, in Two Parts .... [and Part III], The Third Edition.

London, for R. Sare and H. Hindmarsh; Part III for George Strahan, 1698, 1720.. 3 parts in 2 volumes. Large 8°, contemporary speckled calf (both worn), nonuniform spines, the first volume [Parts I and II] richly gilt (faded) with raised bands in gilt in six compartments, crimson morocco lettering-piece in second compartment from head; second volume [Part III] with raised bands in six compartments, simple gilt bands, black lettering-piece (defective) in second compartment from head (front cover detached but present). Parts II and III browned, with some stains and foxing. Parts I and II in good condition overall; Part III a reading copy. Early ink squiggle at top of first title page. (4 ll.), 246 pp., (1 l. advt.); (4 ll.), 200 pp.; (1 l.), v, (1), 388, 34 [of 46] pp. *** Third edition. The first edition of the first 2 parts appeared in 1697, the first edition of the third appeared in 1705. A third volume (Part IV) appeared in 1709. The essays in Part I are: Upon Pride; Upon Cloaths; Upon Duelling; Upon General Kindness; Upon the Office of a Chaplain; Upon the Weakness of Human Reason. "Upon the Office of a Chaplain," written in 1688, throws much light on the position of a large section of the clergy: Collier deprecated the extent of authority assumed by patrons and the servility of the poorer clergy.The essays in Part II deal with fame, music, the value of life, spleen, eagerness of desire, friendship, popularity, the entertainment value of books, confidence, envy, appearance, despair, covetousness, liberty, old age and pleasure. The essays in Part III deal with pain, revenge, authors, power, infancy and youth, riches and poverty, whoredom, drunkenness, usury, solitude, discontent and an apostle. This reissue of the third edition of Part III has been greatly expanded from the original issue of earlier the same year, which contained only 277 pages. At the end of the third part are pp. [1]-34 [of 46] of Collier's "An Essay on Gaming, in a dialogue between Callimachus and Dolomedes," London: for J. Morphew, 1713, in a smaller 8.º format.Jeremy Collier (1650-1726) was an English theater critic, theologian, and non-juror bishop, best known for his attack on the Restoration drama of William Congreve, John Dryden, Thomas D'Urfey, and others, Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the English Stage, 1698.*** Wing C5254 (Parts I and II only). ESTC R10122; T107605.