ENGLISH CONVENTS IN EXILE 1600-1800. Five (of Six) Volumes (V.1 - V.5) of this important work on Edited by Caroline Bowden, et al.

LONDON: Pickering & Chatto, 2012-2013. First Edition.

Five (of Six) Hardcover Books, matching set, 6x9 inches. Each volume focuses on a different part of the life, culture, and works (written and otherwise) that took place in the English Convents, and the life of the Nuns that lived in them and ran them in exile. Each volume stands on its own.

The five books are:

PART 1: Volume 1 - History Writing / edited by Caroline Bowden, 322 pages; Volume 2 - Spirituality / edited by Laurence Lux-Sterritt, 532 pages; Volume 3 - Life Writing I / edited by Nicky Hallett, 411 pages.

PART 2: volume 4 - Life Writing II / edited by Katrien Daemen-de-Gelder, 338 pages; Volume 5 - Convent Management / edited by James E. Kelly, contributing editors Caroline Bowden, Richard G. Williams, 477 pages. (LACKING Volume 6 - The Convents and the Outside World / edited by Carmen M. Mangion.)

NEAR FINE condition: there is a light corner tip bump to the covers of two of the books (hardly noticeable), otherwise all is pristine, tight, bright, clean and unmarked. A lovely, very presentable set of these important works on English Convents (i.e. English Religious Women) in Exile.

From the Publisher:

******In 1598, the first English convent was established in Brussels and was to be followed by a further 21 enclosed convents across Flanders and France with more than 4,000 women entering them over a 200 year period. In theory they were cut off from the outside world; however, in practice the nuns were not isolated and their contacts and networks spread widely, and their communal culture was sophisticated. Not only were the nuns influenced by continental intellectual culture but they in turn contributed to a developing English Catholic identity moulded by their experience in exile. During this time, these nuns and the Mary Ward sisters found outlets for female expression often unavailable to their secular counterparts, until the French Revolution and its associated violence forced the convents back to England. This interdisciplinary collection demonstrates the cultural importance of the English convents in exile from 1600 to 1800 and is the first collection to focus solely on the English convents.******

The 2012 Hardcover First Editions of this work are hard-to-find. When they can be found the books are often offered individually at quite high prices.

Les Psaumes De David, Mis en Vers François, Revus et Approuvez par les Pasteurs et les Professeurs de l'Englise et de l'Academie de Geneve. A Geneve, Chez Pierre Jaquier. MDCCXXXVIII [1738]

A superb Calvinist pocket hymnal in a lovely 18th century French sharkskin (Shagreen) binding with embossed gold heart shaped clasps. An ecclesiastical work beautifully printed with typographic music scores, Prayers, Psalms of David, and Sacred Hymns For The Principal Solemnities (Cantiques Sacrez Pour Les Principales Solennitez). When isolated from the Bible, the Psalms of David is called the Psalter.

[The Psalms of David, Translated into French Verse, Revised and Approved by the Pastors and Professors of the English Church and the Academy of Geneva. Published in Geneva by Pierre Jaquier, 1738]. Hardbound in textured black sharkskin with heart shaped gold clasps, all edges gold, 5.75" x 3.25", red silk endpapers, [8], 472, + 24 pages. VERY GOOD Condition: a touch of wear to the sharkskin covers, the gold clasps remain bright and tight, internally a contemporary former owner's name inked to top of the title page, a touch of light wear and toning, overall tight, bright, clean and unmarked. A lovely early 18th century example.

The French psalter of the Reformed church underwent multiple revisions since 1562. This Protestant edition produced in Geneva is a reprint of the famous Geneva Psalter (or Huguenot Psalter), which was set to verse and rhyme by Clément Marot and Théodore de Bèze under the supervision of John Calvin and first published in 1562. This psalter became the official liturgical collection of the Reformed Church of Geneva.

The 150 psalms of this edition, officially sanctioned by the Protestant Church of Geneva (under the aegis of the Académie de Genève) contain Valentin Conrart's translation, he died in 1675 after completing only 51 psalms, but his colleague Marc-Antoine de La Bastide completed the rest publishing the complete edition 1679. While revising the text, Conrart and his successor maintained the meters of the earlier versions, so that the same melodies, derived from Gregorian chant as well as popular tunes, could continue to be used.

THE LATTER-DAY SAINTS' MILLENNIAL STAR, Volume VI, No. 1, June 15, 1845 through No. 12, December 1, 1845.

LIVERPOOL: Published by Wilford Woodruff and Thomas Ward, Stanley Building, Bath Street, MDCCCXLV (1845).

Binder's tiny signature at the top corner of the front free endpaper "Wm Huline / Binder".

Contemporary paper covered boards, 5.5x8.5 inches (4x21 cm). Pagination: general title, preface and index bound at front, 204 pages, blank front and rear endpapers.

ASSOCIATION COPY: Provenance of JOSEPH SLINGER, ORDAINED PRIEST of the LATTER DAY SAINTS in 1840. His signature is at the top of the title page.

From the Minutes of the 1840 LDS Conference: "A general Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was held in the Carpenters Hall Manchester on the 6th day of July 1840...Moved & Carried that JOSEPH SLINGER, George Walker. John Smith...be ordained Priest."

Joseph Slinger is also noted as a donor on an 1844 manuscript list of Tithing Donations for the building of an LDS Temple in Nauvoo, Illinois.

Condition: The text block has been professionally resewn, the covers rehinged, and some corners restored; making this a solid copy. The front and rear boards are worn, scraped and rubbed; there is no spine covering, the sewn text signatures are neatly and attractively visible. There is early scribbling (or attempts at writing by a child) on the pastedowns, and a drawing on the front free endpaper, all of which I think adds to the uniqueness of this copy, showing that it was kept in a home and treated as a common book to be marked up and used, not as scarce collectible item meant for a museum. I especially like the naive drawing on the front free endpaper of what appears to be an LDS woman in a modest dress. Also at the top of the front free endpaper is written: "(I. V.?) White's book from (J. C.?) Foss. April 25, 1902". Perhaps these names have an association to the Mormons, but I have been unable to determine it. The text pages are toned as normal, with some foxing, spotting, soiling, marks, edgewear, etc. here and there throughout, but the text is always fully legible. The last issue, No. 12, titled: FURTHER PERSECUTION OF THE SAINTS IN AMERICA has relevant marginalia and underlining noting and commenting on various passages. Overall, with the professional resewing and restoration, this is a complete, sturdy, presentable copy.

UNCOMMON with the EARLY LATTER DAY SAINT PRIEST'S PROVENANCE, and with the Binder's Signature.

HANDWRITTEN SERMON, possibly by Ebenezer Grant Marsh (per a previous owner). [NEW HAVEN, CT], 1799.

HANDWRITTEN SERMON addressed to sinners, possibly by Ebenezer Grant Marsh, an instructor in Hebrew at Yale. Marsh is known for his preaching during the Yale Campus Revival of 1802, the first of several college revivals to spread in the early 19th century.

Dated 1799 by the sermon writer on the cover page. A previous owner also wrote "Rev. Ebenezer Grant" in pencil on the cover page. I have no other reference as to who might have written this sermon, having not carefully read its every page.

Self made, folded paper, sewn binding, small 4x6.25 inch format, 22 leaves (44 pages). The 38 pages are hand-numbered in the upper corner. There are also 4 pages written upside down in-between pages 37 and 38, numbered 1 to 4, possibly the start of a new sermon.

FAIR condition: Toning, soiling, separation and chipping at the spine fold, folds tender and with holes but currently holding, corner loss to a few leaves affect some words, light edge losses to outer leaves. Please see photos.

About EBENEZER GRANT MARSH (from Columbia University Libraries, Marsh Family manuscripts):

******Ebenezer Grant Marsh, b.1777 d.1803, both at Wethersfield, CT. He was the son of Rev. John Marsh, and was noted as an outstanding young scholar, becoming a graduate instructor in Hebrew at Yale in 1798. He was licensed by the New Haven East Association of Ministers to preach, and was a preacher on campus during the Revival of 1802, the same year in which he was appointed Professor in Languages and Ecclesiastical History. He died in 1803 from "acute complications from cancer".******

SANCTI IOANNIS CHRYSOSTOMI DE VIRGINITATE LIBER, A IVLIO POGIANO CONVERSVS. JOHANNES CHRYSOSTOMUS.

ROMAE: Apub Paulum Manutium, Aldi F., M. D. LXII [1562]. First Edition.

Modern hard covers, 7x7.5 inches (17x19 cm). Pagination: [ai] title page, aii-biii, [lacking blank leaf following biii], Ai - Qiiii - 64 numbered leaves. Aldine anchor and dolphin printer's device on title page. Collated page by page with a copy held at the National Central Library of Rome.

GOOD condition: Professionally rebound in hardcovers (leather spine and corners with decorative paper covered boards), with new blank endpapers (archival watermarked laid paper). The title page is lacking its bottom 1.5 inches and its last line of text, it has been professionally restored with archival laid paper at its corners and bottom (a copy of the title page from the copy at the National Library of Rome is laid in for comparison purposes, note that it has library stamps, paper repairs, and some hand marks and X's, the X marks notably at the ring at the top of the anchor). The corners of the first few pages have also been professionally restored, not affecting text. Else, the title page is toned; there is waterstaining to the upper gutter area and front margin of the pages, most noticeably on the first 10 pages, then becoming very light; there is some foxing here and there. Overall the pages of this 1562 book are amazingly complete, bright and clear.

RARE 1562 edition printed in Rome by Paulus Manutius at the Aldine Press.

About PAULUS MANUTIUS (from Wikipedia):

******Paulus Manutius (aka Paolo Manuzio), b.1512 d.1574, was a Venetian printer with a humanist education, the third son of the famous printer Aldus Manutius.

The printer's mark of the Aldine Press, used by both Aldus Manutius, the father, and Paulum Manutium, his son, is known as "the anchor and the dolphin".******

THE PRAISE OF HELL: or, a View of the Infernal Regions. Containing Some Account of the Advantages of that Place, with Respect to its Antiquity, Situation, and Stability. Together with a description of Its Inhabitants; their dresses, manners, Amusements. By Jean Frédéric Bernard. Translated from the French.

Dublin: James Potts, 1760. First English edition, originally published the previous year in France as Eloge d'Enfer.

TWO VOLUMES. Leather covers, five raised spine bands, leather title labels, 4x6.25 inches (9.5x15.5 cm). Pagination: [16], xvi, 191; [8], 224 pp. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece in each volume, an additional plate in Volume 1, and four additional plates in Volume 2.

A satirical work that finds Hell to be a well ordered and nicely governed place to reside, more attractive than the alternative. The author describes many of its residents, including Alexander VI and Albertus Magnus. Hell is easy to get into and one meets the most interesting people there.

GOOD condition: The covers have light wear and scuffing, the corner tips are bumped, the hinges are tender, especially the front hinge of Volume I; internally, the endpapers have offsetting from the leather covers and some foxing, otherwise the pages are just lightly toned with some foxing here and there.

The History of Sin and Heresie Attempted, From the First War That They Rais'd In Heaven : Through Their Various Successes and Progress Upon Earth : To The Final Victory Over Them, and Their Eternal Condemnation in Hell : In Some Meditations Upon The Feast Of St. Michael and All Angels

This is the earliest known commentary on Milton's rejection of the Holy Trinity (Anti-Trinitarianism) in Paradise Lost.

Anonymous, [Charles Leslie]. Printed for H. Hindmarsh, at the Golden-Ball over against the Royal-Exchange, in Cornhil, London, 1698. First edition. Rebound in brown cloth covered boards, 6" x 8", [8], 60 pages. Errata printed at end of Contents leaf. Complete as issued, however the second leaf of the preface (pages 5, 6) is bound in at the rear. Ex Library, deaccessioned from the Pacific School of Religion, with its shelving label on the front cover, their bookplate on the front pastedown, their small oval ink stamps here and there, and the ghost remains of library pockets on the rear pastedown; otherwise VERY GOOD CONDITION: some old shorelining, light foxing, title page has corner-tip chips, page 23 has a closed bottom margin tear, and there is a BB size spot near the gutter between pages 56/57 where the two pages are stuck together affecting a few words, otherwise tight, bright, clean, and unmarked. Uncommon, only 23 copies in OCLC collections worldwide and is scarce in commerce, the only auction record I found was from 1899.

Charles Leslie accused John Milton (1608-1674) of promoting heretical views in his epic poem "Paradise Lost," by portraying the angels as ignorant of the Holy Trinity, a core Christian belief which Leslie considered a significant heresy. During this period, theological debates around the Trinity were highly contentious, making Leslie's accusation of heresy against Milton particularly significant. It was a pile-on and Leslie was the first of many prominent and influential voices trying to discredit the poet. Milton's work was banned by King Charles II and the Catholic Church which banned it for 216 years - in 1732 Pope Clement XII placed an Italian translation in the Index Librorum Prohibitorum, where it remained until 1940.

Charles Leslie (1650-1772) Irish Protestant clergyman. Leading incendiary Jacobite polemicist infamous for his explosive rhetoric against Quakers, Jews, Socinians, Roman Catholics, and Deists. He refused to take the oath of allegiance to the new monarchs, William and Mary in 1689, and spent much of his life in self-imposed exile because of his controversial viewpoints. He was a prolific writer whose tracts opposed the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and supported the Jacobite Uprising of 1689. He condemned the slaughter of the MacDonalds at Glencoe (1692) and William and Mary for allowing it. He remains a challenging historic figure who as yet defies classification.

SECOND BETHEL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH 25th Anniversary Souvenir Program (Silver) 1954 - 1979 : The Rev. Charles F. Thomas, Pastor

Black churches were the heart and soul of the Civil Rights Movement. Educating the African American community was essential to furthering the Movement. Second Bethel Missionary Baptist under the leadership of Reverend Charles F. Thomas was an important voice for Oakland's Black experience during a very tumultuous time.

Scarce Souvenir Program, Published by the Second Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Oakland, California, 1979. First edition. Softcover, illustrated silver paper wraps, side staple bound, 11" x 8.5", 24 pages, illustrated throughout with b&w portraits, photographs, and community advertisements. VERY GOOD CONDITION: corner creasing, light wear from age, overall tight, bright, clean and unmarked. An historic documentation of Oakland's thriving African American Baptist community. Scarce, none in OCLC collections worldwide.

GUTENBERG AND THE BOOK OF BOOKS with Biographical Notes, Reproductions of Specimen Pages and a Listing of Known Copies. By Henry Lewis Johnson.

NEW YORK: William Edwin Rudge, MCMXXXII (1932). This is the scarce FOLIO SIZE 1932 edition published by RUDGE, with all its plates intact. It includes the separate folder with a facsimile leaf from the Gutenberg Bible of Psalm 23: "This folder contains a facsimile of a page of the Gutenberg Bible including the Twenty-Third Psalm, suitable for framing".

Hardcover folio book with four called for reproductions, a paper folder with a facsimile leaf from the Gutenberg Bible, and an original card clamshell case that houses them both. The reproductions of ILLUMINATED PAGES and the FACSIMILE REPRODUCTION from the Gutenberg Bible are GORGEOUS.

Condition: NEAR FINE BOOK, light age toning to the page edges, otherwise sharp cornered, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. The book's plates are beautiful and each is protected with a tissue guard. The separate paper folder has some toning and light soiling, the facsimile leaf it holds is bright, clean and lovely, and would look great mounted and/or framed. The original cardboard case holding both items is well-worn, with some staining, scratches, and tearing; nonetheless it is still doing its job of protecting the treasure within.

Rare with ALL FOUR PLATES and the separate FACSIMILE OF PSALM 23 all present.

INTERNATIONAL BUYERS PLEASE NOTE: This large format and rather heavy

book will require additional shipping charges. After placing your order you will be notified of the charges and be able to accept or reject them before payment is taken. Thanks!

MORTGAGES / LOAN DOCUMENTS for CONGREGATION B'NAI ISRAEL, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK. Folded official documents, with signatures, documentary stamps, notary statements, etc.

TWO DOCUMENTS:

October 1925 Mortgage Agreement between Congregation B'nai Israel and Williamsburgh Savings Bank. This document is SIGNED by DAYVE DeWALTOFF, then President of the Congregation of B'Nai Israel, and by Simon Abels, John Ginsberg, Bernard Ginsberg, Abram Fisch, Elias Kruchkow, and Charles Goldenberg. There are a number of Documentary Stamps at the top of the front page.

January 1929 Document assigning the mortgage of Congregation B'nai Israel real estate to Bay RIdge Savings Bank.

Both mortgage documents are in GOOD condition, they are lightly age toned, have various handwritten marks and notes, otherwise they are solid, bright, clear, and fully legible.

Interesting historical documents relating to Judaism in Brooklyn in the 1920s.

THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES - ENGLISH and YIDDISH, translated by Alexander Harkavy. To which is added: THE CITIZEN - A GUIDE TO NATURALIZATION [in YIDDISH].

NEW YORK: HEBREW PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1926.

The booklet contains the U.S. Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and a naturalization study guide with sample questions asked in the naturalization test. The Guide to Naturalization is printed in YIDDISH, with some English. The Constitution is bi-lingual in YIDDISH and ENGLISH.

Booklet, paper wrappers (front and rear covers detached but present), small format 4x5.5 inches (10x14 cm). IN TWO PARTS BOUND TOGETHER - Part I; The Constitution / Declaration of Independence AND Part 2: The Citizen - A Guide to Naturalization. PAGINATION: [4], 90, 64 pages.

Complete but only FAIR condition, the front and rear wrappers are disbound and substantially chipped but are present and each is now in it's own protective plastic sleeve; internally, many of the inner pages have torn bottom corners that have been reinserted / restored with strips of clear tape; there are closed edge tears and chips here and there, some of which have been reinforced with clear tape; the paper is tender and can tear and chip rather easily (be gentle!), the page margins are age toned as normal. Despite the flaws the text pages are complete with printing that is fully legible, and the original wrappers, though disbound and chipped, are present with clear text. The wrappers are often lacking from this Yiddish naturalization guide.

Rare booklet for Yiddish speaking Jewish immigrants wanting to become U.S. citizens in 1926, containing the U.S. Constitution and the Naturalization Guide.

Peoples Forum, Vol. I, No. 17, March 1, 1977. Published by Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ, San Francisco, CA. First edition, broadsheet format, one folded sheet, four pages printed on newsprint. GOOD CONDITION: tender at the folds with tiny chips/wear, some edge tears/wear, and light age toning, otherwise bright and clean. Scarce.

In April 1976, Jim Jones' Peoples Temple launched Peoples Forum. Distributed on the street by Temple volunteers and dropped on doorsteps throughout San Francisco, it served as the Temple's monthly newspaper and main source of promotion and communication. The header shows three faces of different races, civil rights related imagery Jones used to advertise his interracial religious movement.

Jones' increasing radicalism and connection to the civil rights movement became apparent with the Peoples Forum. While early issues contain articles on "subjects as diverse as killer bees, Muhammed Ali, freedom of the press, and Jones hosting a TV show," later editions are more radical, illustrating Jones' support for Huey Newton and the Black Panther Party. In late 1976 Peoples Forum covered a story about the FBI's role in the death of Black Panther Party leader Fred Hampton. The cover photo from this March 1, 1977 edition shows Jones and Newton shaking hands. Peoples Forum exemplifies the increasing involvement Peoples Temple had in California with Black rights leaders, racial issues, and activism. Additionally, Peoples Forum denounced and exposed the rising dangers of neo Nazism in San Francisco.

Jim Jones' Peoples Temple is notorious for the way it ended in on November 18, 1978 with more than 900 people dying in a mass murder suicide at the Peoples Temple Settlement in Jonestown, Guyana. The majority of the Jonestown massacre victims were black women.

Agonía del tránsito de la muerte con los avisos y consuelos que cerca de ella son provechosos, Maestro Alejo Venegas de Busto.

(Agony of the Transition to Death with Helpful Warnings and Consolations when Approaching Death, with Brief Descriptions of Obscure Sentences and Words, by Maestro Alejo Venegas de Busto.)

ALCALA DE HENARES [Spain], Andrés de Angulo, Diego de Sancta Cruz, M.D.LX.V (1565). Sixth edition.

Hardcovers (19th century Spanish binding), 3/4 red leather (spine and corners) and red textured cloth covered boards, 5 raised spine bands, gilt titling and gilt designs to the spine, marbled endpapers, small 4o, 6x8 inches (14.5x20 cm). Pagination: ff. [8] CCXVI (i.e. [8], 216 leaves numbered in Roman numerals). Illustrated with intricate woodcut crests on titles.

GOOD Condition: Covers are rubbed and have some scrapes, most noticeably on the leather corners, still the covers are solid, doing their job well, and quite attractive. Internally, the title page and the subsequent couple of leaves have a little professional conservation at top margin that affects a bit of the title page image and a couple words at the top of the following two leaves; there is the ghost of the removal of a bookplate on the front free-endpaper, the title page has some early marginalia that has been lined out and there is some relevant scholarly ink marginalia on the latter pages related to the description of obscure words in that part of the text; overall solid, tight, bright, clean and clear. A nice copy.

COLLATED page by page with a 1565 copy in the Austrian National Library (the pages of THIS copy are much whiter and brighter).

About MAESTRO ALEJO VENEGAS DE BUSTO (from Wikipedia and elsewhere on the Internet):

******Alejo Venegas de Busto, b.Toledo 1497 or 1498, d.Toledo, 1562, was a Spanish Renaissance writer, humanist, lexicographer, and considered a Spanish mystic.

His best known work is the AGONY OF THE TRANSITION TO DEATH... (Toledo, 1537), an ascetic, mystic work that he dedicated to Doña Ana de la Cerda, Countess of Melito, on the occasion of the death of the writer's great protector, her husband Count Diego de Mendoza. This work derives specifically from the Praeparatio ad Mortem (1534) by Erasmus. The second edition appears in Toledo in 1540, the third in Toledo, 1543, the fourth in Zaragoza, 1544, the fifth in Toledo, 1547, the sixth in Toledo, 1553 and the seventh in Alcalá, 1565. Beginning in the third edition Venegas added his Brief Declaration of the Sentences and Obscure Words. The book has continued to be reprinted and was edited in the 19th century by Eugenio de Ochoa (Paris, Beaudry, 1847) and in 2001 by Marc Zuili (Paris, L'Harmattan, 2001). Various parts of this work have appeared in numerous other publications, including works on Spanish and Christian Mysticism.******

Seven extraordinary diabolical full page engravings adorn this early 19th century Armenian religious book. Graphic supernatural imagery of sinners suffering eternal damnation in the fires of Hell. Created by an unknown engraver in the style of Jesuit Priest Alexandre Perier from his 1724 "Disillusion of Sinners" (Desengano dos Peccadores) originally printed in Rome in 1724.

Place of publication unknown, date unknown, circa early 1800s. Blind tooled leather over wood boards, sewn endbands, 3 raised spine bands, 5.25 x 3.35", [iv] 260 pages [iv], Armenian text, printed on laid paper, illustrated with seven woodcut engravings printed on one-side only, decorated throughout with a variety of ornaments including cherubs and birds, zoomorphic initials, and various head and tail pieces.

CONDITION: missing title page and 3 leaves of text (pages 23/24, 75/76, and 217/218); all 7 engraved plates are accounted for but plate #3 on page 73 has a large corner chip affecting the image, the leather spine is perished exposing burlap spine covering, leather covers rubbed, rear covers bottom corner-tip is chipped. Internally there are inked notations in Armenian on endpapers, some ink stains/staining here and there including on the plates, gutter cracked but stitches holding well, some edgewear/edge tears, finger soiling, a few old repairs, generally clean, bright and legible and the plates remain striking. Housed in a later slipcase. Uncommon, I have not found another example of these early engravings.

EXPLICATION DE LA DEVOTION A LA SAINTE ENFANCE DE JESUS-CHRIST NOSTRE SEIGNEUR. Divisée en Trois Parties. La Premiere Contient les Motifs & Excellence de la Devotion. La Seconde, sa Nécessité et Utilité. La Troisième, le Recueil de Ceux qui l'ont Pratiquée.... Par le Père Joseph Parisot.

(EXPLANATION OF THE DEVOTION TO THE HOLY INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. Divided into Three Parts. The Premiere Contains the Motives & Excellence of Devotion. The Second, its Necessity and Utility. The Third, the Collection of Those who practiced it.... By Father Joseph Parisot.)

TOME PREMIER Qui Contient La Première et Seconde Partie. (FIRST VOLUME, containing Parts I and II). A Second Volume, containing Part III, was published subsequently. This is for the First Volume, with Parts I and II, only.

AIX (Aix-en-Provence, France): Charles David (printer to the King, the Clergy and the City). M.DC.LVII (1657).

Collated with a copy held in the Collection Jésuite des Fontaines at the Library of Lyon, that was digitized online. (This copy is in MUCH better condition than the copy in Lyon which was heavily water-stained and browned throughout.)

Full Vellum Covers, three raised spine bands, 6x8 inches, 2126 pages + an errata page. At the rear is added the Title-Page and the Table-of-Contents of the Second Volume (a Publisher's teaser, I suppose).

This 1657 book is in VERY GOOD condition, the vellum covers have yellowed and have some areas of browning especially on the rear cover, the front and rear inner hinges are cracked but holding tight, there is a two line ink statement on the front free pastedown that I believe indicates this book came from Beaucaire, France; the inner text pages are lovely, there is some light toning to some of the early and latter pages, light shorelining to the upper part of the first 50 or so pages, a torn blank bottom margin to a prelim page (not affecting text), a thumbprint size tear to the front blank margin of a few middle pages, and a rare spot here and there; overall the inner pages are quite amazingly well-kept, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked. A lovely copy of this rare work on why one should worship Infant Jesus.

RARE, becoming almost impossible to find.

Ah, the innocence of Babies, even Baby Jesus...

BUDDHIST ARCHAEOLOGICAL OBJECTS - Illustrated Catalogue of the Collection in the Nara National Museum. Published by the Nara National Museum, Nara City, Japan, 1993. First Edition.

Hardcover Book in Dustjacket, 7.5x10.5 inches, 156 pages. ILLUSTRATED throughout with numerous b&w photographs. Text in Japanese and English.

Artifacts are arranged in sections. including: Objects from Ancient Temple Sites; Baked Clay Stupa; Tiles with Figure Buddha; Clay Statues; Objects from Cremation Tombs; and more.

FINE book, tight, bright, clean, clear and unmarked; in a NEAR FINE dustjacket that has a hint of handling. A lovely copy.

From the English introductory notes:

******This publication is a pictorial catalogue of the buddhist archaeological objects except the objects excavated from sutra mounds, in the archaeology department, stored (as of March 1993) at the Nara National Museum. These illustrations have been arranged by place of excavation in north-south order. Data mentioned are plate numbers, titles, total number, quality, shape, size (in centimeters), period, etc. Data is given in English also. (Abbreviations are as follows. H. Height, D. Diameter, L. Length, W. Width) Detailed places of excavation, inscriptions, reference literature, storage numbers, designations, etc. are mentioned in reference materials appearing in the later part of this catalogue. ? indicates items of Important Cultural Property. Photographs are by Kinji Morimura and Satokazu Yazawa (former members of the museum's staff). Edited by Yoshiharu Inokuchi.******

A MANUSCRIPT COMMENTARY on the HEBREW BIBLE OLD TESTAMENT PSALMS by NOTED AMERICAN THEOLOGIAN and HEBREW SCHOLAR, WALTER ROBERT BETTERIDGE. An incomplete but extensive manuscript work that binds together an 1880 printing of the PSALMS (which have Betteridge's EXTENSIVE MARGIN NOTES ON EVERY PAGE) and OVER 100 PAGES OF MANUSCRIPT COMMENTARY. The handwritten commentary and notes were written by Betteridge ca. 1910-1916. The manuscript was likely being prepared for publication as "Commentary on Old Testament Psalms", but the work was never published because Betteridge died (1916) before it was completed. Nonetheless his wife had his "work in progress" professionally bound and then donated it to the University of Rochester Theological Seminary where her husband had been a Professor of Hebrew in the Old Testament Department.

This professionally bound volume contains the printed work: LIBER PSALMORUM - Textum masoreticum acuratissime expressit... notis criticis confirmavit, by S. BAER, [with] Praefatus est edendi operis adjutor, by FRANCISCUS DELITZSCH. Lipsiae: Ex officina Bernhardi Tauchnitz, 1880. 8vo, 5.5x9 inches. Pagination: [1] f., 82 pp. TOGETHER with over 100 PAGES of INTERLEAVED MANUSCRIPT COMMENTARY NOTES by Bettteridge, interleaved so that every one of the printed pages of the LIBER PSALMORUM has one or more pages of associated handwritten commentary bound-in beside it. There are also manuscript pages at both the front and rear of the book, and clippings from related texts here and there, clippings which Betteridge also annotated.

The printed PSALMS, the 100+ pages of manuscript commentary, and the many other small slips of paper with handwritten notes, are BOUND TOGETHER in recent hardcovers, black moire silk covered boards with leather spine label titled in gilt.

NOTE: Betteridge's handwriting is miniscule with LOTS of words crammed onto every page and is difficult to read without a magnifier, so either have eagle eyes or an illuminated magnifying lamp on standby. Of course by writing in such a small manuscript Betteridge has managed to impart an incredible amount of commentary onto the 100+ handwritten pages. In normal script it would likely be at least 200+ pages.

PROVENANCE: Donated by Mrs. Betteridge to the Rochester Theological Seminary Library. with an institutional bookplate noting this on front pastedown. "Presented to Rochester Theological Seminary Library by MRS. BETTERIDGE / From The Library of WALTER ROBERT BETTERIDGE, D.D. 1863-1916 / On the Faculty of This Seminary in the Department Of Old Testament, 1891-1916".

CONDITION: The recent covers are solid and lovely; internally there is a Seminary bookplate on the front pastedown, as noted above, and a library blind-stamp on the title page; the pages are age toned; all the edges have significantly browned and have varying degrees of chipping and wear, affecting only a bit of marginalia here and there; overall the printing and handwriting is clear and legible (with magnification); all pages, manuscript and printed, are tightly bound. A solid copy.

A UNIQUE WORK that represents an American theological scholar's lifetime of studying and teaching Hebrew and the Old Testament. Deserving of close examination.

About PROFESSOR WALTER ROBERT BETTERIDGE, D.D. (from various Internet sources):

******Walter Robert Betteridge, b.1863 d.1916, was an American theologian, professor, and Bible scholar. He was a Professor of Hebrew Language and Literature at the University of Rochester from 1891 until his death.

Author of "Commentary on Exodus" American Baptist Publication Society, 1914, and numerous articles including "The Accuracy of the Authorized Version of the Old Testament" 1911, and "Commentary on Deuteronomy", 1915.

Walter Robert Betteridge is listed in Volume 8, page 184 of "Who's Who in America", published by A.N. Marquis, 1914.******

DAS NEUE TESTAMENT zum Wachsthum in der Gnade und der Erkaenntniß des Herrn Jesu christi, nach dem revidirten Grundtext übersetzt und mit dienlichen Anmerckungen begleitet von D. Johann Albrecht Bengel.

(The New Testament...translated and accompanied with notes by Johann Albrecht Bengel.)

Contemporary vellum covered boards, 6x8 inches (12x19.5 cm), 1016 pages. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece.

STUTTGART: Johann Benedict Metzler, 1753.

GOOD condition: the vellum covers are age browned, have some scrapes, rubs, etc., but are still doing their job. Internally, the front joint is split but holding, a couple of the first blank leaves are loose, there are extensive relevant ink notes in a neat, tiny script on the blank front free endpapers, the inner pages are age toned, overall generally sound with text that is bright and clear throughout.

About JOHANN ALBRECHT BENGEL (from Wikipedia):

******Johann Albrecht Bengel, b.1687 d.1752, also known as Bengelius, was a Lutheran pietist clergyman and Greek language scholar known for his edition of the Greek New Testament and his commentaries on it.******