[Hobbes, Thomas] Member of the Athenian Society [attributed to John Dunton].

The Athenian Oracle [Including: “An Elegy on the Death of the Honourable Robert Doyle” / “What think you of the Milky Way in Heaven ?” / “Who was the first Founder of Atheism ?” / “Whether Hobbs [sic] [Thomas Hobbes] or Lestrange [Roger Lestrange] is the better Christian ?” / “A Voluntary on the Nativity of our Blessed Lord: Christmas-Day 1692”]. Being an entire collection of all the valuable questions and answers in the old Athenian Mercuries : Intermix’d with many Cases in Divinity, History, Philosophy, Mathematicks [sic] [Mathematics], Love, Poetry, never before published : to which is added, an alphabetical table for the speedy finding of any questions.

The Third Edition Corrected. Volume I (of three Volumes). London, Printed for Andrew Bell, at the Cross Keys and Bible in Cornhill, near Stocks-market, 1706. 12.7 cm x 20 cm. 568 pages, inlcuding two leaves of advertising for “Books printed for Andrew Bell”. Hardcover / Original 18th century full leather with ornament to boards and recently rebacked spine. Very good condition with minor signs of external wear. Moderate foxing to front and rear pastedown and endpapers.

The Athenian Oracle – a sort of 17th-century version of Quora – had its roots in The Athenian Mercury, a magazine published twice a week in London between 1690 and 1697. Its Editor-in-Chief, John Dunton had come upon the idea of having an advice-column in the magazine, giving the readers a chance to send in their questions which would then be answered by a group of experts. This group, called ‘The Athenian Society’, consisted of a Dr. Norris, the Mathematician Richard Sault, the clergyman and author Samuel Wesley, as well as John Dunton himself. The questions received by the society covered everything from natural sciences and philosophy to literature and religion, and in 1703, they were collected and published as The Athenian Oracle. Questions range from “why horses neigh” or “how dew is produced”, to asking “if there is a cure for stammering”, as well as philosophical questions “on what happiness is” – or “what death is”. Some of the questions were written by women, resulting in a spin-off called “The Ladies’ Mercury” which was published for four weeks in 1693 and was the first periodical specifically aimed for women. (Source: Public Domain Review. Org)

• Keywords: 18th Century · 18th Century – Rare · Catalogue No.7 – Religion · Catalogue One – History of Law · Catalogue Twelve – Philosophy · Natural theology · Oracle · Philosophy of Religion · Philosophy Rare · Religion – Rare · Theology
• Language: English
• Inventory Number: 200229AB

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