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John Evelyn's Copy of State Tracts

[ANONYMOUS COMPILER].

State Tracts: Being a Collection of Several Treatises Relating to the Government. Privately Printed in the Reign of K. Charles II.

Place and Imprint: London: Printed in the Year, 1689.
Edition: First edition.
Bibliographical References: ESTC R10117; Wing S5329; NCBEL I, 1223 (A. Marvell).
Condition: Edges rubbed with some loss at the end and foot of the spine; hinges starting, but sound; some spotting and small stains; very good copy.
Book ID: 28493

Physical Description

Folio, contemporary sprinkled calf, blind rules and decorations, red morocco spine label, gilt lettering "State / Tracts / Vol. / I".

Comments

28 tracts on English affairs during the reign of Charles II, written mostly as anonymous pamphlets during the decade 1671-1681 and compiled here as an act of preservation "for the sole use of some particular Gentlemen, who set an extraordinary value and estimate upon them." Politics and life under Charles II are the primary subjects, with an emphasis on anti-Catholicism, including poet Andrew Marvell's An Account of the Growth of Popery, first published in Amsterdam in 1677. There was a second volume in 1692, and both volumes were reprinted together in 1693. See ESTC R17906 and R28848. From the library of prominent Englishman of the era, John Evelyn (1620-1706), with the later JE bookplate on the front paste-down and contemporary ink manuscript shelf mark. Evelyn Library Part III, Christie, Manson & Woods, March 16, 1978, lot 1414; sold again at Sotheby's London December 3, 1979, lot 35. A foolish modern owner has clumsily written in ink on the front free endpaper "Sotheby-London December 3, 1979, Lot 35 - 1 of 4, all for . . . " The amount paid has been excised.

Price: $950.00