Bishop Burnet's History of His Own Time. London: Volume One Printed for Thomas Ward; Volume Two Printed for the Editor, by Joseph Downing and Henry Woodfall. 1724 & 1734, folios.
FIRST EDITION OF BURNET'S FAMOUS CLASSIC AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL WORKS ON 17TH CENTURY ENGLAND, WITH BURNET BEING CALLED "A PIONEER IN THE SCIENTIFIC TREATMENT OF HISTORY"
[Kunitz & Haycraft, 70]
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The first edition of Burnet's History of His Own Time. This work went through a significant number of subsequent editions which continue to this day. A lavishly produced set in folio format printed over a ten year timespan.
Though the work was severely criticised by Jonathan Swift and Samuel Johnson, with the Earl of Aylesbury calling Burnet a "lying knave" and his description of him "false as all hell", Burnet's history retains a great reputation, with Burnet being called "one of the most veracious chronicles in the [English] language" (Allibone, 297). The same source suggests that Burnet's account of the revolution of 1688 and the accession of William and Mary "was perhaps greater than that of any other person", which is high praise indeed given the competition there includes David Hume.
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Size: 235 x 354 mm (approx., each)
Condition:
[(2), t.p., 1pp., 12pp., pp.1-836, 12pp (index), (2)]; [(2), t.p., 20pp., pp.(1)-765, (2)]
Contemporary full reverse calf bindings, each retaining a very attractive tooled red morocco label. Bindings rubbed, some of the leather lifting, with some loss. Joints rubbed, exposed, but with all boards attached. Both volumes stand without shelf lean. Dampstaining affecting from the front pastedown in volume one to ~pp.13, but continuing very lightly to circa pp.34. This has clearly been treated at some time in the past, and with some of the leaf edges repaired, including the title page. There's also some dampstaining to the final few pp of the first volume, circa pp.770 to the end, with the significant majority of the text exceptionally bright and clean with particularly nice typography. The text block of the second volume is excellent - bright and clean throughout, with just some very minor, near imperceptible, dampstaining in the upper right corner to the final few leaves, visible (just) circa pp.640, but never becoming intrusive. No attached bookplates.
[OCLC 1114777201, 1114801852; ESTC T144688, T144689].
