1806-7 Dictionary of Arts and Sciences by Gregory, 2V 1stEd 137 Engraved Plates

Description: 1806-7 Dictionary of Arts and Sciences by Gregory, 2V 1stEd 137 Engraved Plates A Dictionary of Arts and Sciences In Two Volumes by G. Gregory Complete Two-Volume Set Richard Phillips, London, 1806 (v1) and 1807 (v2). First edition. [The year on the Title Page of Volume 1 is 1806 but the Dedication on the following page is dated January 1807!] Hard covers. Rebound in modern cloth. Black cloth over boards with gilt spine titles, thick quartos, 928 + 958 pages, indices, many full-page b&w engraved plates. Volume I: 70 full-page engraved plates. Volume II: 67 full-page engraved plates. Both volumes include indexes, have complete texts and appear to have the full complement of engravings. [Our count of 137 plates is one short of the complement reported in the description found in the HathiTrust catalog. It is possible that our set is missing one engraving, or that we miscounted the number, or that the HathiTrust count is in error. There is no indication of a missing plate in our set.] The 137 engravings and etchings are by C. Heath, R. Cooper, S.J. Neele, and others. A fascinating encyclopedic view of scientific knowledge and technology at the end of the 18th century with 137 high quality engravings on various scientific subjects, natural history, zoology, technology and machines, scientific instruments, physiology, etc. GREGORY, GEORGE, D.D. (1754?1808), divine and man of letters, son of an Irish clergyman, was educated at Liverpool for the counting-house. For several years he was clerk to Alderman C. Gore, merchant of Liverpool, but took more interest in literature and the drama than in his employment, and was director of a small private theatre, for which he wrote several farces and plays. Resolving to give up business, he studied at the university of Edinburgh, and was ordained in the established church. He was admitted to the degree of D.D. in 1792. Gregory settled in London in 1782, and became evening preacher at the Foundling Hospital. In 1802 he was presented to the living of West Ham, Essex, a preferment said to have been given him by Addington for his support of the administration. He became prebendary of St. Paul's in 1806, and at the time of his death was also chaplain to the Bishop of Llandaff. Gregory was a hard-working parish priest, and an energetic member of the Royal Humane Society. He died on 12 March 1808. Gregory was for the most part self-educated, and acquired a very creditable amount of erudition. His first work was a volume of ?Essays Historical and Moral? (1st ed. published anonymously 1783, 2nd 1788). In 1787 he published a volume of sermons to which are prefixed ?Thoughts on the Composition and Delivery of a Sermon?(2nd edition, 1789). He was also the author of a ?Translation of Bishop Lowth's Lectures on the Poetry of the Hebrews? (2 vols. 8vo, 1st ed. 1787, last 1847); ?The Life of T. Chatterton? (1789, a reprint from Kippis's ?Biog. Brit.,? iv. 573-619); ?An History of the Christian Church? (1790, 2nd ed. 1795); a revised edition of Dr. Hawkesworth's translation of Fénelon's ?Télémaque? (1795); ?The Economy of Nature Explained and Illustrated on the Principles of Modern Philosophy? (1796, 2nd ed. 1798, 3rd 1804); ?The Elements of a Polite Education, carefully selected from the Letters of Lord Chesterfield? (1800, new ed. 1807); ?Letters on Literature, Taste, and Composition? (1808); and ?A Dictionary of the Arts and Sciences? (1808). On the death of Dr. Kippis in 1795 Gregory was appointed edit or of the ?Biographia Britannica,? but he made little progress with the work, and the sixth volume, to which he had contributed a preface, was burnt in the warehouse of Nichols & Son on 8 Feb. 1808. He was also for some years editor of the ?New Annual Register,? a publication started by Kippis in opposition to the ?Annual Register? in 1780, probably as successor to Kippis. Gregory changed its politics from whig to tory during the premiership of Addington. L. C. S. [Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 23] CONDITION: Fine Covers / Good+ Contents. (Contents are complete (except for possibly one engraving). Paper is age tanned with occasional moderate spotting or foxing of text, mostly on margins, a few small closed tears on page margins. The Title Page of V2 was professionally repaired at the corners prior to the rebinding. A small number of plates have some damage at the edges, not affecting the illustrations. Many of the plates in V1 have a light dampstain at a corner or margin, as do a few of the plates in V2. A small number of the plates have a larger or darker stain. Many of the plates have moderate foxing and/or some darkening at the margins.) Check our other auctions and store listings for additional unusual items Click to edit textClick to edit text Listing and template services provided by inkFrog

Price: 500 USD

Location: NJ

End Time: 2025-01-29T03:25:10.000Z

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