Five Dissertations on the Scripture Account of the Fall.
1785. London: C. Dilly, 1785.
8vo, (4), 310, (1, ads.) pp. Original or contemporary American calf, red morocco label, a bit worn with hinges splitting but quite sound. Foot of the first leaf cut away below the text to remove an inscription.
§ First (London) edition, apparently no US printing was made though there is a reference to copies being bound in America for presentation by the family. A scarce book, this copy inscribed at the front: “Given by Mrs. Adams, the author’s daughter.” by Samuel Foxcroft who signed and dated the title-page “Samuel Foxcroft 1787”, and signed later Jos. E. Foxcroft” under the inscription. Although annotations at the foot of the first leaf have been cut away, there are some 12 pp. of text annotated by Samuel Foxcroft mainly between pp. 189 and 208. The Foxcrofts were a prominent family in early New England; Chauncy was “the most influential clergyman of his time in Boston, and with the exception of Jonathan Edwards, in all New England” (DAB). About 30 copies listed on ESTC but rare in commerce: Rare Book Hub lists one dealer copy (Goodspeed’s in 1910) and no copy is recorded at auction. One ex-library copy listed online (July 2016). Not in Evans: Sabin 12331 (note). Item #107519
Price: $675.00