BACON, Francis. Resuscitatio, or Bringing into Publick Light Several Pieces of the Works, Civil, Historical, Philosophical, & Theological… In Two Parts. Third Edition. London: printed by S. G. and B. G. for William Lee, 1671. Folio.
Third edition of Bacon’s important posthumous collection, edited by his chaplain and literary executor William Rawley, bringing together a wide range of Bacon’s civil, historical, philosophical and theological writings, together with Rawley’s life of Bacon.
This substantially expanded 1671 edition contains both parts of the Resuscitatio, together with a number of separately titled works, including A Preparatory to the History Natural & Experimental, Certain Miscellany Works, and The Natural and Experimental History of Winds. It concludes with John Selden and William Dugdale’s A Brief Discourse touching the Office of Lord Chancellor of England (Wing S2420).
Complete with both engraved portraits of Bacon: the unsigned portrait facing the principal title page and the portrait by Wenceslaus Hollar, dated 1670, depicting Bacon’s monument at St Albans.
An unusually forthright early reader’s annotation, written inverted on the rear flyleaf and double-underlined, reads “Slavering drivel”. A further early scholarly note on the front flyleaf refers to text on p. 97, while an early hand has supplied “Sr Francis Bacon Knt” at the head of the dedication leaf.
A substantial seventeenth-century Bacon, retaining a heavily worn but characterful early calf binding and both engraved portraits.
Provenance
Engraved armorial bookplate of John Gordon, with the Gordon motto “Dread God” and a demi-savage crest, wreathed and holding a club; signed “Deeble sculpt.” in the plate. The same John Gordon bookplate is recorded in institutional bookplate collections. The precise identity of the owner has not been established.
Size
29.5 x 20cm
Condition
Good overall, with substantial wear to the binding but internally considerably better preserved. Bound in contemporary or near-contemporary full calf, the spine with five raised bands, gilt-decorated compartments and red morocco lettering-piece. Binding heavily rubbed and abraded throughout, with extensive surface wear and loss to the calf. Corners and board edges worn. Spine rubbed, with loss of gilt and leather, particularly at the head and tail. Lower endband exposed and partly detached, with loss of leather around the tail. Boards nevertheless remain attached.
Internally generally clean and crisp for the period, with occasional light spotting, toning, staining and handling wear, particularly to the early leaves. Both engraved portraits present. Early ownership inscriptions to the preliminary leaves. The binding has been left unrestored and retains considerable period character.
Bibliographical Note
[unsigned]² B² [unsigned]¹ A² [unsigned]¹, A–B⁴ C²; ²B–2K⁴ 2L⁴(-2L4); ³A–N⁴; χA⁴ [B]¹, ⁴A–D⁴; ⁵A–B⁴ C⁴(-C3,4) D–H² I¹ K–M⁴ N¹; ⁶A–C⁴ D² F–N² O¹; ⁷a⁴ A–L⁴ M² N⁴ b¹; ⁸A–G² H¹.
Complete. In The Natural and Experimental History of Winds, the singleton b1 is bound after N4 rather than in its bibliographically prescribed position between a4 and A1. The same arrangement has been observed in another copy of the 1671 third edition.
References
ESTC R37049; Wing B321; Gibson 229.
