Signed & Inscribed

John Bradley, Minister of Alrewas. An impartial view of the truth of Christianity: with the history of the life and miracles of Apollonius Tyanaeus. London: Printed by W. Downing, for Michael Johnson, Bookseller in Litchfield, 1699.

John Bradley’s An impartial view was “printed for Michael Johnson, bookseller in Litchfield” – Dr Samuel Johnson’s father.

This copy bears the signature of Dr John Turton (1735-1806). A prominent figure in late eighteenth century London, Turton was physician to King George III, Queen Charlotte, and the Prince of Wales, as well as other eminent persons including Edward Gibbon and David Garrick. Turton also attended the author Oliver Goldsmith during his final illness in 1774. It was he who famously asked Goldsmith, then living in poverty, whether his mind was at ease. “No, it is not” were Goldsmith’s last recorded words.

Dr Johnson, with whom Turton was connected and distantly related, wrote verses to his mother, entitled To Miss Hickman playing on the Spinet.

John Bradley, Minister of Alrewas. An impartial view of the truth of Christianity: with the history of the life and miracles of Apollonius Tyanaeus. London: Printed by W. Downing, for Michael Johnson, Bookseller in Litchfield, 1699.
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The Holy Bible containing the Old Testament and the New. Cambridge: Printed by John Field, 1668.

Affixed to the front pastedown of this 1668 Cambridge Bible is a note dated 13 July 1675 written by Lazarus Seaman (d. 1675), a Presbyterian minister, Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge (1644-1660), and active member of the Westminster Assembly.

The 1676 auction of Seaman’s library was the first sale of books by public auction held in England. Not every book was included in the sale and no English Bibles are recorded in the catalogue. According to the bibliographer Brian McMullin, the number ‘3’ (top left corner) suggests that two other books were similarly assigned to other recipients, and the absence of English Bibles from the catalogue implies that these were most likely given as personal gifts before Seaman’s death. Hulbert’s identity is not known, but he may have been a member of Seaman’s Silver Street congregation.

The Holy Bible containing the Old Testament and the New. Cambridge: Printed by John Field, 1668.
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