The Essayes or Counsels, civill and morall, of Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount St. Alban. Newly enlarged.
London: John Haviland, 1632 Stock Code: 132335
From the library of economist Nassau William Senior
Third Haviland edition; the economist Nassau William Senior's copy. In 1625 John Haviland published the first complete, and definitive, edition of Bacon's essays, the last to appear in Bacon's lifetime. Comprising fifty-eight essays, it was greatly expanded from the first edition, published in 1597, which numbered just ten essays within a slim octavo volume. The second Haviland edition appeared in 1629. It is different in two aspects: the contents table is arranged alphabetically rather than by pagination, and the fragment "Of the Colours of Good and Evill" is appended. The 1632 edition is a page-for-page resetting of the 1629 edition.This copy was later owned by Nassau William Senior (1790-1864), whom Karl Marx called the "bel-esprit of English economists, well-known, alike for his economical 'science' and for his beautiful style" (Capital, vol. I, sect. III). After establishing himself as a well-respected member of the Political Economy Club in London, Senior was appointed the first incumbent of the Drummond Professorship of Political Economy at Oxford from 1825 to 1830. It was during this tenure "that he won wide respect as a lucid exponent of what was still an infant discipline" (ODNB). He published numerous pamphlets and articles.
Description
Small quarto (187 x 143 mm). Contemporary vellum, title hand written in ink across fore edge of book block, "N: W: Senior" hand lettered twice in ink across front cover, the second now faded.
Illustrations
Woodcut title page ornament, head- and tailpieces, initials.
Condition
Pastedowns and free endpapers renewed, original endpapers preserved, pasted to pastedowns with some securing cloth to front inner hinge, each with Nassau William Senior's name in ink; these may have been the the original initial and terminal blanks (A1 and 3C4) which are otherwise missing, as is very often the case. Pencil and ink marginal annotations to contents, some ostensibly in Senior's hand. Later engraved portrait plate of Bacon, printed by James Sangster & Co. of London, cropped and laid in. Vellum soiled and darkened, spine slanted, paper strips strengthening and infilling title leaf along verso of fore edge and bottom inner corner, contents browned and sometimes soiled, tears to leaves Z1, 2P1, and 3A1 not affecting text; closed tear to 2N2 repaired; a good reading copy.
DELIVERY
With the exception of framed items*, Peter Harrington offers free delivery on all UK orders of rare books, maps and prints placed through this website. Delivery to USA and the rest of the world is similarly free for orders over £200.
ABOUT US
Established in 1969, Peter Harrington is one of the leading rare book firms in the world. It is a proud member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association – along with ILAB, the PBFA and Lapada – and from shops in Mayfair and Chelsea, London, sells rare books, prints and ephemera to customers across the world.
Email: mail@peterharrington.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7591 0220
