[HYMNS.] WESLEY, John. Hymns for the Use of the People Called Methodists. London: Printed and sold by T. Blanshard. [Circa 1820].
12mo. Contemporary red straight-grain morocco wallet-binding, leather loop to lower cover, covers panelled in gilt and blind, flat spine in compartments, tooled in gilt and blind, lettered directly in one compartment, gilt edges; red morocco label ‘Lucy Saunby 1822’ to front pastedown; pp. 602, engraved title-page and engraved portrait of the author by I. Butt; joints a little worn, leather loop expertly restored; some light soiling and foxing, some light dampstaining to first quire, small paper flow at F2-3 slightly affecting a few letters, but generally very good.
A miniature edition, seemingly unrecorded, of the Methodist hymn-book, handsomely bound in contemporary straight-grain morocco.
John Wesley (1703-1791) was an Anglican clergyman and the founder, with his brother Charles, of the Methodist movement within the Church of England. In 1735, Wesley sailed from Gravesend, Kent, for the American colonies to become the minister of the newly formed Savannah parish in the Province of Georgia. One of the most significant accomplishments of Wesley’s mission was the publication of his Collection of Psalms and Hymns, the first Anglican hymnal published in America and the first of many hymn-books by Wesley. A charming copy, this hymn-book was originally owned by Lucy Saunby.
We have been unable to trace any other copy this edition. The book’s pagination is the same as for an 1815 edition (see Spielmann 511; Welsh 4932).
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