The Feasts and Fasts of the Church of England; the Reasons and Grounds of their Celebration; with Practical Meditations Upon the several Days: Concluding each distinct Head with suitable Prayers, and the proper Collects of the Church; To which is added, an Appendix, Wherein the three grand Solemnities, added to the Liturgy of the Church of England, are clearly explain'd. Illustrated with many new and curious Copper-Plates. London: Printed for J. Brotherton, J. Hazard, W. Meadows, T. Cox, W. Hinchliffe, W. Bickerton, T. Astley, S. Austin, L. Gilliver, and R. Willock, 1732. [10617]
Half morocco with raised bands, marbled boards, light scuffing to the boards, 18 x 12 cm (7 x 4 13/4 inches), gilt title to spine "Fasts and Fasts" [sic]. Small paper remnant from removed label or bookplate on ffep. This was rebound sometime late 19th or early 20th century, with new end papers and the frontispiece & title page mounted on new paper, tear visible at bottom of tp, with no loss. [i-viii], 1-447, [i-xvi Index], [1 Adverts]. 10 copperplate engravings. Signatures of Sarah Champlin and Oliver Champlin on the first several leaves; inscribed "Sarah Champlin to her niece Sarah Gibbs" with the signature of Sarah Gibbs on the title page. Text is very good apart from the stains on the first few leaves (see pics); we made a light treatment of leather preservative to the binding. Good. Hardcover.
"My design then in the following attempt, is to give a rational and plain draught of the Feasts and Fasts of the Church of England. It cannot be denied, but that the subjects are in themselves truly great and noble; but as for the management thereof, all that I can say, is this; I have employ'd my best thoughts and skill to treat this excellent theme suitably to its own native majesty; I have throughout the whole endeavour'd to deliver the most material conceptions, in the most plain and compendious manner: Being willing to croud [sic] many thoughts into a narrow compass, but yet so, that I have been particularly careful to deduce at large, whatsoever was most proper to demonstrate the fundamental doctrines and superior excellency of the Christian religion." - Preface.
An anonymous production that is similar in scope to Robert Nelson's Companion to the Festivals and Fasts of the Church of England, yet not in catechetical form and with different content. The "three grand Solemnities" are the Gunpowder Plot, the Martyrdom of Charles I., and the Restauration [sic] of King Charles II.
