The Works of John Milton. London, 1697, folio.
THE VERY RARE FIRST EDITION OF THE PROSE WORKS OF JOHN MILTON, ESPECIALLY SCARCE IN A CONTEMPORARY BINDING AS WITH THIS EXAMPLE.
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Containing: The Doctrine and Discipline of Divorce in Two Books, Tetrachordon: Exposition Upon the Four chief Places in Scripture Which Treat Marriage or Nullities in Marriage, The Judgement of Martin Bucer [...], The Reason of Church-Government Urg'd Against Prelacy, A Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclesiastical Causes, Considerations Touching the likeliest Means to remove Hirelings out of the Church [...], Of Practical Episopacy [...], Animadversions upon the Remonstrants Defence against Smectymnus, An Apology Against a Pamphlet called a Modest Confutation [...], The Ready and Easy Way to Establish a Free Commonwealth, Areopagitica: A Speech of Mr John Milton For the Liberty of Unlicenc'd Printing, The Tenure of Kings and Magistrates, Brief Notes upon a Late Sermon [...], Eikonok[...] in Answer to a Book Entitled [...], Articles of Peace Made and Concluded [...],
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Size: 213 x 324 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(1), t.p., t.p., 2ff, 568pp, (1)]
Contemporary, almost certainly original, full calf panelled binding, probably bound in Cambridge. Binding rubbed with some loss to the leather in places, lacking original tooled label, the imprint of which remains visible. Joints rubbed and cracked with the front board detached. Lacks one leaf (contents leaf) else collates as complete according to the WorldCat copy. Shelf and edge wear with some loss at corners. Retains original endpapers. Preliminary blank folded so a little shorter at the fore edge, as typical, with the leaf edges a little ragged. Text block mildly toned throughout else internally in excellent bright and clean condition, free of foxing, stains, writing, etc. A nice copy which would benefit from some restoration, but is rather charming for its unrestored originality. A rare first edition of Milton's collected prose works, particularly scarce in a contemporary binding.
