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Two scarce English translations of Italian devotional works, bound together in an attractive seventeenth century binding. Giovanni Bona was a Cistercian cardinal from Northern Italy known for his scholarship and simple manner of life. The first work in this volume is his Manuductio ad coelum, first published in 1658 and first translated into English in 1672. It has often been compared to Thomas a Kempis’ Imitation of Christ, on account of the simplicity of the style in which the doctrine is explained. It was a hugely popular work, seeing a dozen editions by the end of the century and being translated into Italian, French, German, Armenian and Spanish as well as English. The second work in the volume is a translation of Bona’s Principia et documenta vitae Christianae, a comparable work which focuses on the principles of Christian conduct. The translation is usually ascribed to Luke Beaulieu.
The first work has an additional title-page, engraved, ‘Manuductio ad coelum, or a guide to eternity’, by Frederick Hendrick van Hove (1629?-1698). The second work has an engraved frontispiece depicting Christ during his passion, also by F. H. van Hove.

One of Hanway’s scarcer tracts in an attractive binding by his second binder. Christianity was an integral part of Hanway’s philanthropy, even though only a small number of his works were as overtly religious as the present one, the majority being concerned with practical issues to do with social welfare and the furtherance of his philanthropic schemes. Many of his charitable projects, however, included a specific Christian component, such as his ambitious Proposal for County Naval free-Schools, to be built on Waste Lands, giving such effectual Instructions to Poor Boys, as may nurse them for the Sea Service, London 1783. In this, Hanway’s impressive attention to detail goes as far as to address the religious curriculum for the boys’ education, even to specifying appropriate hymns and prayers.

A delightful and scarce prayer book for those in time of need, particularly the sick and those in prison. The first section gives the instructions for the afflicted, which is followed by ‘Prayers in particular Occasions (from p. 84) which include ‘In any Publick Calamity’ and ‘In time of Thunder, Lightening, Storms’. The final section, ‘Instructions and Devotions for Prisoners (pp.242-274) is particularly addressed to ‘those who are condemn'd to die’. Gother warns: ‘First, in avoiding, as much as may be, the common Contagion of Prisons, that is, ill Company, by which many, who have gone in Innocent, have come out Corrupt and Vicious... Secondly, in avoiding that too general Practice of Intemperance, which has many Time the Authority of Men of Principles to recommend it. The Spirit in Confinement is desirous of Relief against all manner of Dejection, which for want of Employment or Diversion, is there too apt to seize it. Society is the obvious Remedy that presents itself, and wretched Custom persuading Men there's no maintaining this without drinking; hence this is usher'd in under the Cover of Necessity, or Convenience, and one Evil is made the Remedy of another... Thus by Degrees the Life of a Prison becomes a Life of continual Dissipation, of Intemperance, and of very unbecoming Entertainments... There follows a series of prayers, invocations and instructions for those condemned to death, ending at the place of execution and the final words: "O God, be merciful to me a Sinner; O God, be merciful to me a Sinner; Lord Jesus, into thy Hands I commit my Spirit; Lord Jesus, receive my Soul". Finis’.
ESTC lists Instuctions [sic] and devotions, 1697 (Wing G1329dA) at the BL, Downside, Bodleian and Society of Jesus Library; another and Folger and OCLC adds Newberry and Durham (ESTC r177558). A variant title with the correct spelling is not listed in Wing but is recorded in ESTC (r223703) at BL and Folger. ESTC t139558 lists this edition at the BL and Downside only. Further editions were published in 1712 and 1725.

A fascinating analysis of the priest as citizen written in the period immediately before the French Revolution. Nusse, who gained some notoriety for his criticism of senior clerics, was both parish priest and mayor for the town of Chavignon, north-east of Paris. In this work, he discusses the relationship between Church and State and the mutual duties and links between them. His central tenet is that the churchman, because of his love of humanity, makes the perfect citizen, but that it is necessary for the individual priest to take a stand against the abuses within the church. The work comprises seventeen extended letters discussing the current role of the Church, the division of Church property, the role of the parish priest, including his duties and his relationship with his parishioners, the roles and statutes governing curés and canons and the inequalities among priests, with the problems caused by the extremes either of wealth or poverty. He also discusses the religious orders and communities, suggesting that these would be more profitably used as centres of education. Nusse then proposes a series of reforms at a parish level, for the maintenance of church fabric, religious houses and education of children, integrating church affairs and the parish priest more into the wider community.

A manuscript pocket journal of religious devotions in an unidentified hand, written between 21st June and 10th July 1808. The author carefully transcribes bible passages, presumably the subject of the daily sermon, and then elaborates on them. This diary appears to be a record of all the sermons attended over several weeks and the author’s personal reaction to them. Of interest is the mention of clerics by name, including of Rev. William Goode (1762-1816) and Rev. W. Wilcocks, who we know to have been active at the time. William Goode was an influential evangelical minister who preached at Christ Church, Spitalfields, between 1807 and 1810 and it is interesting to surmise that this is the private recollection of a member of the congregation, whether done from memory or hastily scribbled at the back of the church.

An important plea for religious tolerance based on the study of demographics and the writings of Malthus. Following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 and the persecution of protestants, the mass exodus of some 8% of the population had far-reaching consequences. About 100,000 French people left the country, exporting about 60 million livres, which had crippled French commerce, at the same time as augmenting foreign economies and armies. Turmeau de la Morandière stresses the cumulative dangers arising from this depopulation and concludes that the revocation itself was ‘trop étendu, trop sévère, trop précipité dans certaines de ses dispositions’, that it led to hardship in France and prosperity in England, Germany and Holland (I., 157). He argues that the only remedy for France is to adopt a policy of religious tolerance and to allow the protestants to return to France. His reasoning is economic more than humanitarian and is based principally on an an assumed link between increase in population and economic prosperity.
Turmeau de la Morandière is also credited with a rare treatise on the prostitutes of Paris, Réprésentations à Monsieur le lieutenant général de police de Paris [Antoine de Sartine] Sur les courtisanes à la mode & les demoiselles du bon ton, Paris, ‘Impr. d’une Société de gens ruinés par les femmes’, 1760. His focus in this treatise is with the demographic problems of begging, homelessness and prostitution in France. His other works include Police sur les mendians, les vagabonds, les joueurs de profession, les intrigans, les filles prostituées, les domestiques hors de maison depuis long-tems, & les gens sans aveu, Paris, Dessain Junior, 1764 and Appel des étrangers dans nos colonies, Paris 1763 (reprinted 1973).
The first edition was published in Paris by Valleyre in the same year. To begin with it was published anonymously but the author’s name was added at some point in the printing process and copies exist with the author’s name in the either or both volumes. This Amsterdam edition is anonymous in both parts. Cioranescu lists only a later edition of 1768.