21. Robison, John.

Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe, Carried on in the Secret Meetings of Free Masons, Illuminati and Reading Societies. Collected from good authorities by John Robison, A.M. – Professor of Natural Philosophy and Secretary to the Royal Society in Edinburgh. [With the printed dedication to William Wyndham].

The Fourth Edition, corrected; to which is added a Postscript. Dublin, Printed by W.Watson and Son, 1798. Large Octavo (14 cm x 21.5 cm). [2], 531 pages (incl. Postscript). Hardcover / Stunning, recent half leather and marbled-paper-covered-boards with gilt lettering and ornament to spine, bound to style of the 18th/19th century. Tear to page 9 (!). Otherwise in unusually excellent condition besides some mild browning (very occasionally only). From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown and name in ink on titlepage. Extremely scarce publication on Illuminati and freemasonry by the first general secretary to the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1783-1798). Extremely rare in any edition; nearly impossible to find in this condition !

22. Secker, Thomas.

Sermons on Several Subjects, by Thomas Secker, L.L.D. Late Lord Archbishop of Catherbury. Published from the Original Manuscripts by Beilby Porteus, D.D. and George Stinton, D.D. His Grace Chaplains. To which is Prefixed “A Review of his Grace’s Life and Character”.

First Edition. Four Volumes bound in Two (complete set). Dublin, Printed for J.Exshaw, H.Saunders, J.Potts etc., 1771. Octavo. LXX, 416, IV, 495 pages. Original Hardcover / 18th-century full leather with spine-labels and ornament. Both Volumes in protective Collector’s Mylar. Very good condition with some signs of external wear. Titlepage of Volume III slightly detached. Some minor staining only. From the libraries of John and Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with their names in ink to titlepages.

23. Home, Henry [Lord Kames].

Sketches of the History of Man.

Considerably Improved in A Third Edition. In Two Volumes (complete set). Dublin, Printed by James Williams, 1779. Octavo (14 cm x 21 cm). Volume I: VIII, 552 pages / Volume II: [4], 551 pages. Hardcover / Original 18th century full leather with original spine-labels and gilt ornament to spine. Both Volumes firm and strong / Leather with stronger wear and some strong abrasions to the boards with some loss to leather. Interior in very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Minor wormhole passages to outer margin of text. Paper in excellent condition. From the library of John & Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with their ownership – signatures to titlepages and a gift-inscription: “Helena Meade to her nephew William Richard Meade – October 3rd, 1837”.

24. [Chiari, Giovanni] Vascellini, Gaetano.

Statue di Firenze [incluso: “Catalogo delle Statue del R. Giardino di Boboli colla Notizia dei Loro Autori”, “Catalogo delle Statue nel R. Palazzo de Pitti”, Catalogo delle Statue colla Notizia dei Loro Autori ec.” ec.]

Tres Parti (complete) [Tutto dichiarato come prima parte]. Firenze, Presso Giuseppe Volpini Cartolaro, no year [c. 1765]. Octavo. Collation complete. Pagination: Part I (Primo): Frontispiece copper-engraving with Florence in the background, 8 pages of text with introduction by Giovanni Chiari and the catalogue of statues in Boboli Garden, 25 plates each with 4 copper-engravings of Statues in Boboli Garden. Part II (Seconda): Frontispiece copper-engraving with Florence in the background, 8 pages of text with catalogue of Statues in Palazzo Pitti, 41 plates each with 4 copper-engravings of Statues in Pitti Palace. Part III (Terza): Frontispiece copper-engraving with Florence in the background, 8 pages of text with catalogue of Statues [″Catalogo delle Statue colla Notizia del Loro Autori ec. (incl. Michelangelo Buonarotti, Donatello etc.). Hardcover / Original bookblock rebound by Bayntun in Bath in a subtle and charming modern cloth with gilt lettering on new spine-label. Original endpapers preserved. Exceptional condition of this rare 18th century publication with only very faint signs of foxing. Provenance: Richard Meade, Ballymartle (with the Meade Family – crest as library stamp).

25. Sandham, Miss [Elizabeth].

The Boys’ School; or, Traits of Character in Early Life – A Moral Tale.

London, Printed for John Souter, [1821]. Small Octavo. Engraved Frontispiece, IV, 152 pages. Hardcover / Original publisher’s boards with spinelabel. Binding firm but with lower corner of rear board missing. Overall a little stronger rubbed. Endpapers intact. Previous owner’s name in ink on titlepage, dated 1822. From the library of Richard Meade of Ballymartle, County Cork, Ireland, with a gift-inscription to rear pastedown: “the gift of M.J.Meade to H. Meade, April, 27th, 1821”. Frontispiece and text in very good condition. Pages 101 – 108 with clean tears and some paperloss (text not effected from loss). An extremely scarce publication !

26. Kotzebue, August von / [Plumptre, Anne].

The Constant Lover; Or, William and Jeanette: A Tale. From the German of Augustus von Kotzebue. To which is prefixed “An Account of the Literary Life of the Author” [with the printed dedication by Kotzebue to his friend Charles Georg Graumann] / Also included (separately bound): “Pizarro – The Spaniards in Peru; or, The Death of Rolla. A Tragedy, in Five Acts:. The original of the play, Performing at the Theatre-Royal, Drury Lane, under the title of PIZARRO. Translated from the German by Anne Plumptre – Translator of Kotzebue’s “Virgin of the Sun”, &c.

First Edition. Three Volumes in one Solander Box. Dublin, Printed by William Porter / Printed for J. Moore, 1799. Small Octavo (11 cm x 17 cm). Pagination of the two Volume-Set: “The Constant Lover / Account of the Literary Life of Kotzebue”: Volume I: XIV, 203 pages / Volume II: 216 pages / Pagination for the accompanying Volume: “Pizarro”: 102 pages. Hardcover / Stunning, recent half leather and marbled-paper-covered-boards with gilt lettering and ornament to spine, bound to style of the 18th/19th century. All three Volumes housed in a bespoke built Solander Box (see plenty of images on our website). Excellent condition. From the library of Susannah Townsend-Meade (Ballymartle), with her name to titlepage. The accompanying Volume bears the name of one Mary Johnston. The “Constant Lover”, with the “Account of Kotzebue’s Life” is a very scarce publication !

27. [Swift, Jonathan] Irving, David.

The Elements of English Composition [With an essay on ‘Critical examinations of a passage in the writings of [Jonathan] Swift’].

The Fourth Edition. London, Printed for Richard Phillips, 1816. Octavo. X, 318 pages. Hardcover / Original publisher’s interimsbinding. Binding slightly rubbed. Endpaper with small abrasion (minor tear). Bookseller-sign on pastedown: “Sold by J.Bolster, Bookseller, No.7, Patrick Street, Cork”. From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle) / Name of preowner John Meade in ink on titlepage.

28. [Cork Print – 18th century] Robertson, William.

The History of America.

Volume I (of II) of the First Cork Edition [which had two Volumes in total]. Cork, Printed by Thomas White, opposite the Exchange, 1778. Octavo. XIX, [1], [6], 492 pages including 6 unnumbered pages of a List of Subscribers including the previous owner of the book: “Rev. John Meade”. Original Hardcover / Original full 18th-century-calf with gilt ornament and original spine-label. From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown. Name of John Meade on titlepage. Only Volume One of this very rare Cork print !

29. Tryal of Connor Lord MacGuir – Temple, John / Tichborne, Sir Henry.

The History of the General Rebellion in Ireland raised upon the Three and Twentieth day of October 1641. Together with the Barbarous Cruelties and Bloody Massacres which ensued thereupon. To which is added, Sir Henry Tichborne’s History of the Siege of Drogheda, in the Year 1641. As also, The whole Tryal of Connor Lord MacGuir, with the perfect Copies of the Indictment, and all the Evidences against him. Together with the Pope’s Bull to the Confederate Catholicks in Ireland.

The Seventh Edition. Cork, Phineas and George Bagnell, 1766. 14 cm x 21 cm. xxiv, [12 pages with list of Subscribers], 412 pages. Hardcover / Professionally rebacked, original boards with gilt lettering and ornament to style of the 18th century. From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown. Title and following page slightly fingerstained. Else in very good condition and especially beautiful and firm after the restoration of the volume by an english masterbinder.

30. Robertson, William.

The History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V. – With a View of of the Progress of Society in Europe, from the Subversion of the Roman Empire, to the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century.

A New Edition. In Three Volumes (complete set). Dublin, Printed for W.Whitestone, W.Sleater, M.Hay, D.Chamberlain a. o., 1777. Large Octavo (13,5 cm x 21,5 cm). Pagination: Volume I: Frontispiece-Portrait of William Robertson, XII, 408, plus 12 unnumbered pages of an Index / Volume II: Frontispiece-Portrait of Charles Vth – Emperor of Germany, 509 pages / Volume III: Frontispiece-Portrait of Francis I – King of France, 471 pages plus 38 unnumbered pages of an Index plus two pages of advertising for two publications by W.Whitestone and Dublin. Hardcover / Original full calf with original spine-labels and gilt lettering on spine. All three Volumes in protective Mylar. Some rubbing and bumping to binding and top of spines. Volume III repaired but intact and firm. Portrait of Charles Vth in Volume II cleanly detached. All three bindings very firm and tight. Frontispieces and Interior in excellent, bright condition. From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his name on titlepages of all three Volumes and Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown.