1740 Scarce Book on Ghosts - The Secrets of the Invisible World Disclos'd by Daniel Defoe.
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(Description)
Author: Andrew Moreton (pseudonym for Daniel Defoe).
Title: The Secrets of the Invisible World Disclos'd.
Or, An Universal History of Apparitions.
Sacred and Prophane, Under all Denominations.
Whether, angelical, diabolical, or human-souls departed. Shewing I. Their various returns to this world, with sure rules to know, by their manner of appearing, if they are good or evil ones. II. The differences of the apparitions of ancient and modern times ; and an enquiry into the scriptural doctrine of spirits. III. The many species of apparitions, their real existence, and operations by divine appointment. IV. The nature of seeing ghosts, before, and after, death ; and how we should behave towards them. V. The effects of fancy, vapours, dreams, hyppo, and of real, or imaginary appearances. VI. A collection of the most authentic relations of apparitions, particularly that surprizing one attested by the learned Dr. Scott.
Language: Text in English.
Publisher: London, Printed for J. Cecil in Exeter-Exchange in the Strand, 1740. Fourth Edition (stated).
Size: 8" X 5".
Pages: 395 pages.
Binding: Very good contemporary full calf leather binding with raised bands to the spine (hinges fine, overall worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight, and clean, rare light foxing or staining - as shown, ink name of a previous 1741 owner on the title page - as shown, bookplate of Josceline Grove on the first endpaper - as shown).
Illustrations: Complete with the 6 nice full-page plates (including frontispiece) engraved by J. Van der Gucht.
Estimate: (USD 800 - USD 1000).
Book: Attractive and scarce edition of The Secrets of the Invisible World Disclos'd by Daniel Defoe, written under the pseudonym Andrew Moreton. This fourth edition is a comprehensive exploration of apparitions and spirits from various traditions and beliefs. It delves into the nature of ghosts, their appearances, and how one should interact with them. The book is a remarkable blend of folklore, theology, and early psychological insights, reflecting the era's fascination with the supernatural and the unknown. Its rarity and historical significance, accompanied by the nice contemporary binding and complete set of engravings by J. Van der Gucht, make it a valuable collector's item.
Author: Daniel Defoe (1660–1731), an English trader, writer, journalist, pamphleteer, and spy, is most famous for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe was a prolific and versatile writer, producing more than three hundred works on diverse topics, including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology, and the supernatural. Writing under the pseudonym Andrew Moreton, Defoe explored the realm of the supernatural with the same keen observation and narrative skill that characterized his more mainstream works.