Christian Astrology Modestly Treated of in Three Books...
London: printed by Tho. Brudenell for John Partridge and Humph. Blunden, in Blackfriers at the Gate going into Carter-lane, and in Cornhil, 1647. First edition. 4to, 18x13.5cm, [48], 25-832, [22]pp. Frontis, tables, charts, woodcut diagrams, illustrations. Frontis and final three leaves of Alphabetical Table (index at rear) in facsimile. Two leaves, including Lilly's Epistle and parts of the Table of Houses at front, in fine contemporary manuscript facsimile. Bound in old vellum boards backed with leather. Ownership signature and private library stamp at front, and a few instances of contemporary annotation and pagination throughout. Toning to page block, some smudging and staining, and scattered foxing throughout. Damp staining to margins of first dozen or so leaves. Otherwise clean and sound with recent, expert reattaching of boards, and collated complete. Very good.
First edition of the most famous English treatise on astrology, and the most influential work by Lilly. This giant assimilation of knowledge from the old authors such as Ptolemy and Lilly's own astrological techniques was the first of its kind to be printed in English rather than Latin. Besides modernizing and popularizing Western astrology in English, the work also included an essential a list of Lilly's own library called "A Catalogue of Most Astrological Authors, now extant, where printed and in what year."
This well-used and cherished copy gives a good idea of just how important Lilly and this text in particular were in broadening the use of astrological practice in the Western World of the 17th century. Item #8618
Price: $3,500.00