Search Results: 17th century from James Gray Bookseller

Amsterdam: Apud Joannem Janssonium à Waesberge, & Viduam Elizei Weyerstraet, 1669. It is bound in full original calf with a gilt spine with an expertly executed early rebacking. Nothing is more beautiful than know all things" The 'Ars Magna Sciendi' is Kircher's exploration and development of the 'Combinatoric Art' of Raymond Lull, the thirteenth century philosopher. Kircher attempts in this monumental work to classify knowledge under the nine ideal attributes of God, which were taken to constitute the pattern for all creation. In the third chapter of this book is presented a new and universal version of the Llullistic method of combination of notions. Kircher seems to be convinced that the Llullistic art of combination is a secret and mystical matter, some kind of esoteric doctrine. In contrast with Llull, who used Latin words, words with clearly defined significations for his combinations, Kircher began filling the tables with signs and symbols of a different kind. By doing this Kircher was… Read More

Paris: Paris, Chez Antoine Dezallier, 1690, 1690. First Edition. 12mo. First edition. xxv,(2),615,(1)pp.Bound in contemporary calf. 405J Baillet was, from 1680 to his death, librarian to M. de Lamoignon, advocat-general to the parlement of Paris, of whose library he produced a manuscript catalogue raisonné in 35 folio volumes. It seems ironic that one should need to cosult Barbier to discover the author of this pioneering work, but the effort is rewarding, for here we read that - Cet ouvrage [était] le premier publié en France sur ce genre de recherches bibliographiques. The subject is approached from various angles, the psychology of pseudonymity, the various types of cognomes etc. This was a preliminary treatise, which should have been followed by a Recueil des Auteurs Déguisés but unfortunately the author died in 1706 leaving his work unfinished, and it was not for another 100 years, with the publication of Barbier's Dictionnaire des Ouvrages Anonymes in 1806, that the project was finally… Read More

London:Ralph Smith 1702, 1720. Bound in contemporary panelled calf, raised bands, rebackd, morocco label. a VG copy, being internally very crisp and clean.

London: Printed for W. Rogers, S. Smith, and B. Walford: at the Sun against St. Dunstan's church in Fleetstreet; and at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's church-yard, 1701. This copy is bound in its original full calf, it is a nice copy. This is Grew's last work was published in 1701. I. The argument is specially directed against Spinoza, the nature of God being deduced à priori and à posteriori, from the necessity of His being and from His handiwork. As in Ray's 'Wisdom of God in Creation,' and other similar works, the argument à posteriori begins with much borrowed astronomical learning; but in a funeral sermon on the author we are assured, not only that he was 'acquainted with the theories of the Heavenly Bodies, skill'd in Mechanicks and Mathematicks, the Proportions of Lines and Numbers, and the Composition and Mixture of Bodies, particularly of the Human Body,' but also that he was 'well acquainted with the whole Body of Divinity,' and had studied Hebrew to more proficiency than most divines,… Read More

Trattati. Bologna, Pietro Bottelli, 1680. Quarto, 8 x 6 . This copy is bound in contemporary full vellum. This is the second edition of Bartoli's important work on the study of acoustics and physiology of hearing, including some hints on the theories from Galileo Galilei. From 1670 to 1673 Bartoli served as Rector of the Collegio Romano in recognition of his international prestige as a writer. Indefatigible in his final years Bartoli produced 4 Jesuit biographies and three scientific treatises on pressure, sound, coagulation. His several works of spiritual reflection were brought together a folio edition, Le Morali in 1684. His final work, Pensieri sacri went to press after his death in Rome, January 13, 1685. Haller praises his philosophical works, and Dr. Burney in his History of Music vol. III states that this work ' on Harmony," published at Bologna, 1680, under the title "Del Suono de Tremori Armonici e dell' Udito," a truly scientific and ingenious work, in which are several discoveries in… Read More

Oxford: London : Printed for James Good in Oxford, and sold by J. Nut [i.e. Nutt, London], 1701. Second edition of the English translation by John Norton. ¶ Duodecimo; A-E12, F11 (A1, half title, present) Bound in original full calf, missing some leather from spine but cords are very strong. ESTC Citation No. N1243 415J. Some wonderful quotes for this book: The Answer of R. W. to his Friend, importunately desiring to know what LOVE might be? I Acknowledge the wanton Ty∣ranny of imperious Love, that is always requiring the most diffi∣cult Trials of the Affections. Now though it be a kinde of an Hercu∣lean Labour it self to Love, considering those severe duties, those toyls, and hazards appendant to it; as if Cruelty were its sole delight: Nevertheless we believe it reasonable, what names so∣ever we have given to Love, that he should exercise his Soveraignty, which is certainly very great and puissant; and by the Severity of his Commands, that he should augment the glory of his high Rule,… Read More

London : printed for R. Bentley, in Russel-Street, in Covent-Garden, and J. Tonson, at the Judge's-Head in Chancery-Lane, 1693. First and only edition. Bound in speckled calf, IMG_3940recently rebacked, with the signature of Jane Modgford on the title and page 1. Very nice condition.. Wright, James 1643-1713, antiquary and miscellaneous writer, "A versatile writer with a lucid style and a genuine touch of humour, especially as an essayist..." [DNB]. The attribution first appears, in Brice Harris's facsimile of this edition printed in 1961. The work itself is written as a dialogue between Jovial and Pensive who have visited London and wish to return to the country. Jovial's cousin, Sociable, enjoys the London social whirl. They argue about the various pleasures of the city versus the country. Dryden is discussed at one point: "the company of the author of Absalom and Achitophel is more valuable, tho' not so talkative, than that of the modern men of banter; for what he says, is like what he writes;… Read More

London : printed by J. Macock, for Richard Royston, book-seller to His most Sacred Majesty 1672, 1707. This copy is bound in full original sheep recently repacked!. No copies in the US. Gregory, born about 1625, was a native of Woodstock, Oxfordshire. He was educated at Westminster under Busby, who, as he afterwards said, was not only a master but a father to him, and in 1641 was elected to a scholarship at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating M.A. in 1648. He returned to Westminster School as usher till he was appointed head-master of the grammar school at Woodstock. He was a successful teacher, and numbered among his pupils several sons of noble families. An ardent royalist he was chosen to preach the thanksgiving sermon for the Restoration at St. Mary's, Oxford, 27 May 1660, and afterwards published it under the title of 'David's Return from Banishment.' He also published 'Votivum Carolo, or a Welcome to his sacred Majesty Charles II from the Master and Scholars of Woodstock School,' a volume… Read More

London: William Godbid for William Shrowsbery, 1677, 1676. This copy is bound in full later panneled calf with a spine label. It is a very handsome copy. This copy was owned by Desmond Morris, and has his book plate. The problem of human origins, of how and when the first humans appeared in the world, has been addressed in a DSC_0042variety of ways in western thought. In the 17th century the predominant explanation for the origin of the world and the beings that inhabit it, especially human beings, was based on the biblical account of creation. It was almost universally accepted that humans had been created by a supernatural agent using supernatural means. But alternative explanations for the production of the first humans did exist, according to which the first humans were produced by nature through some form of spontaneous generation" (Matthew R. Goodrum). The word evolution (from the Latin evolution, meaning "to unroll like a scroll") appeared in English in the 17th century, referring to an… Read More

Antwerp: Amberes,{Antwerp} Por Enrico y Cornelio Verdussen 1701, 1701. third Edition. This large folio is bound in full contemporary vellum with gilt tooling. Snags repaired in the blank of the title page and on the folding Engraving , without damaging the text. Scattered freckles. Good copy. Folio. 14 x 9 inches * 6, ** 4, *** 2, A-Z4, 2A-2C4 / a4, a-f4, g2. The Rubens master. Landwehr, Dutch 240; Landwehr, Low Countries 678. (cfr. PRAZ, Studies in seventeenth-century imagery I pp.523-524 & Peeters Fontainas Bibliographie des impr. espagn. des Pays-Bas mérid. 1275;. This Emblem book is made up of three Stoic works, beginning with Text from Horace in latin with 103 copper plates of engravings, That is a full page engraving of Vaenius by his daughter Gertrude van Veen engraved by Pontius. These emblems also appeared in "Emblems from Horace, but not directly, these engravings represent both allegoric and general passages from Horace, the texts are in Spanish. ¶ The Horace is followed The Table of… Read More

London: Henry Herringman, 1673. First Edition. Folio: 12 3/4 X 7 1/2 . Signatures: π1 2π2 A-3D4 3E2; Aa-Ppp4, Aaaa-Oooo4; ¶ An unusually fine, fresh, wide-margined copy, with a fine impression of the portrait. Bound in full contemporary calf with nicely gilt spine. Wing D320. The First Collected Edition, with prefatory material by Hobbes, 'The answer of Mr. Hobbes to Sr. William D'Avenant's preface before Gondibert', and poems by Waller and Cowley. Several of the plays originally published in blank verse are here printed for the first time, converted into prose. The volume also includes first printings of 'The Playhouse to be Let', 'Law Against Lovers', 'News from Plymouth', 'The Fair Favourite', 'The Distresses', and 'The Siege'. The posthumous collection was published under the watchful eye of "Lady Mary" D'Avenant. The poems reflect the attitudes of the Cavalier poets and the received tradition of earlier poets, particularly Shakespeare, Jonson, and Donne. She no doubt also insisted on the fine… Read More