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NICOLSON, William (1655--1727)
The English, Scotch and Irish historical libraries. Giving a short view and character of most of our historians, either in print or manuscript. With an account of our records, law-books, coins, &c. By W. Nicolson, ... To which is added, a letter to the Reverend White Kennet, D.D. in defence of the English historical library, &c. A new edition, corrected.
London (Place), printed for T. Evans, and T. Becket,, 1776.
xii, 241, [1]; [6], 114, [2]; [4], viii, 90, [2] p. ; 29.3 cm. (4º)

In three parts. A collected edition of (1) The English historical library, 2nd ed., 1714, (2) The Scottish historical library, 1702, and (3) The Irish historical library, 1724; the three having been reissued in a collective ('third') edition, 1736. The Scottish and Irish historical libraries have a divisional half-title and a final leaf of index each, and separate pagination and register. 'A Letter To The Reverend White Kennet, ... Against The Unmannerly And Slanderous Objections Of Mr. Francis Atterbury ...' (pt. 1, pp. [227]--241), is substantially the same as the preface to the 'Scottish Historical Library'. ESTC t59467.

Copy Notes This is assumed to be the copy of 'Nichols's [sic] historical Library 4to.' bought from Thomas Boone for 15s., 4 February 1807. (Spiers Box).

Binding C18th Etruscan style calf, gilt-ruled and stencilled palmette and anthemion borders with stencilled centre ornament, elaborate gilt- and blind-tooled spine with urns, light morocco spine-label. A very similar binding in the Charles Ramsden Collection of Signed Bindings in the British Library (Horace Walpole, The castle of Otranto, 1791, shelfmark c.154.i.20) is attributed to Edwards of Halifax. See C. Ramsden, London Bookbinders, p. 62.

Reference Number 905

Additional Names Thomas Boone; Atterbury, Francis, Bishop of Rochester (1662--1732); Kennett, White (1660--1728); Edwards of Halifax, bookbinder (?)


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