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[John Milton]. Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib. [London: For Thomas Underhill, 1644]....
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Description
One of Milton's scarcest works, one of very few copies in private hands
[John Milton]. Of Education. To Master Samuel
Hartlib. [London: For Thomas Underhill, 1644].4to (177 x 131 mm). 4 leaves. Caption title under typographic border. Red morocco gilt, by Elizabeth Greenhill.
FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF MILTON'S SCARCEST WORKS. In one of Milton's most famous prose works, he attacks the then existing system of education seeking to correct "the many mistakes that have made learning generally so displeasing," and puts forward new theories of his own. Masson, the biographer of Milton, explains the circumstances which led to its composition and publication: "before the middle of 1644, Milton & Hartlib were well acquainted with each other... and had conversed freely on many subjects, and especially on that of Education. Nay more, Hartlib, trying to indoctrinate Milton with the Comenian views [Comenius was interested at this time in projecting schemes for a Pansophic University in London] on this subject, had found that Milton had already certain most positive views of his own upon it, in some things agreeing with the Comenian, but in others vigorously differing. Hence, after various colloquies, he had made a request to Milton. Would he put a sketch of his views upon paper...? Urged more and more pressingly, Milton complied; and the result was the appearance on June 5, 1644... of a thin little quarto tract..."
"This tractate deserves an honorable place in the history of pedagogy if not for its practical usefulness at least for its stimulating idealism. As might be surmised from the format, it is now of considerable rarity" (Pforzheimer).
EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE: According to online auction records, only one other copy has been offered at auction, the White-Houghton-Pirie copy, which last appeared at auction in 2015 as part of the Robert S. Pirie sale at Sotheby's New York and sold for $30,000.
Condition: Trimmed close at head, just shaving pagination on A1-3, and with complete loss of pagination on A4; some toning to upper margins; some light underlinings in red crayon; occasional spotting.
References: Grolier, Wither to Prior 567; Parker, Milton, p. 885 (listing White-Houghton copy as the only one in private hands); Pforzheimer 715; Wing M2132.
Provenance: Phillip and Lionel Robinson Trust, sold at Sotheby's, 30 June 1976, lot 4188, to Bernard Quartich, Ltd., for £3,800. From the William A. Strutz Library.
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Auction Info
2024 June 27 Important English and American Literature: The William A. Strutz Library, Part I, Rare Books Signature® Auction #6295 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
June, 2024
27th
Thursday
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