Johnson, John:

$275 · Offered by William Reese Company · No longer available

THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE MARRIAGE STATE; AS ENTERED INTO WITH RELIGIOUS OR IRRELIGIOUS PERSONS. REPRESENTED UNDER THE SIMILITUDE OF A DREAM. The Seventh ... Scarce later American printing of this parable advising young gentlemen on how to select a wife, composed as an allegory regarding the choice of a travelling companion on the journey from Babylon to the Promised Land. At the end of the tale, the narrator observes "these two happy companions pursuing their journey: and here I saw verified an ancient counsel; (an help-meet). For they were sincere friends, pleasant companions, faithful partners, and useful assistants, to each other...Then I was convinced, that two are better than one; and yet it was very manifest, that they were no more twain."A good copy of a scarce pamphlet, NAIP lists five locations for this printing. In all, NAIP records eleven editions published between 1757 and 1797. The titlepage of this printing describes this as the seventh edition, but NAIP also notes another twenty-four-page Philadelphia "seventh edition" printed in 1764. Adding to the confusion of editions, NAIP also reports two separate "sixth editions" and the earliest printing recorded in NAIP, published in Boston in 1757, is described as the third edition. There were earlier edition printed in England, which may account for the various edition statements for the American editions. The titlepage has the further interesting imprint line, "Sold also by Lot Tripp, near New-Milford,

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