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The History Sale 2015
www.adams.ie34
BOYLE, FRANCIS,
VISCOUNT SHANNON
Several discourses and characters address’d to the
ladies of the age. Wherein the vanities of the mod-
ish woman are discovered - London: 1689. 8vo.
pp. [xvi], 199. Includes imprimatur leaf. Modern
calf. Very good. Wing S 2965B. COPAC locates
only 1 copy in Ireland.
This collection of essays preceded the previous
entry and at least one of them was a cry from the
heart namely “Against keeping of Misses” as his
own wife Elizabeth had been taken for mistress by
Charles II. “A sin”, he says “grown so in fashion, as
the great custom of the fashion has overgrown the
sence of the sin”. He describes them in the follow-
ing terms - “Misses are now become in most great
towns, (especially London) to gentlemen, as books
are in stationers shops to scholars, where they may
pick and chuse, read sometimes this kind of books
another that sort, all, or any, and hire them by the
day, month or year: and when they have read them
over as oft as they please .... they may return them
and leave them where they found them, and there’s
no harm done, they lying expos’d for the next cour-
teous comer. Misses in towns are like free-booters
at sea, no purchase, no pay, they are never out of
their way, (except to Heaven) so they can but meet
a prize in it.” The craze for French fashions was
another topic on which Francis Boyle waxed elo-
quently while women in breeches also came under
his flail. Sweeney 493.
€150 - €200
35
BOYLE, ROBERT
The martyrdom of Theodora and of Didymus -
London: 1687. 8vo. pp. [xxx], 250, [6]. A very
good copy in modern half calf. Early signature of
W Clark on titlepage. Wing B 3987. Fulton 173.
Rare. His only venture into the realm of the his-
torical romance, it is set in Rome during the early
Christian era and Flora Masson who wrote a biog-
raphy of Robert Boyle believed that autobiographi-
cal overtones are to be found in the text. Sweeney
548.
€100 - €150
36
BOYLE, ROBERT
Medicinal experiments: Or a collection of choice
and safe remedies for the most part simple and
easily prepared. Second edition. London: 1692.
12mo. pp. [xii], 88, [2], 18. A very good copy in old
calf. Wing 3990. Fulton 180 with Fulton 179 record-
ing that this first appeared under the title “Receipts
sent to a friend in America” but no copy under
that title has been seen. The subsequent editions
include a Volume III, an addition of very doubtful
authenticity. Rare.
The book represents Boyle’s blindspot as he pass-
es on bizarre remedies that have more in common
with medieval than late 17th-century science. It
was however still a best seller. Sweeney 551 quot-
ing the 1st edition of 1690. Provenance: From the
library of Roger Senhouse. Some early notes on
front blanks. Early signature of George Fleming.
€500 - €700
Lot 34
Lot 35
Lot 36