WILSON, Samuel.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Essays and Letters on Various Subjects. First collected edition of these 21 essays by the Baptist preacher (1702-1750), for many years the pastor of the church at Old Gravel Lane, Wapping. This collection includes four papers published for the first time anywhere, while several of the other essays offer a critical insight into the unscrupulous stock-jobbers and "bubblers" at work in the overheated English economy of the early 18th century. Many of these essays had previously been printed in London's weekly papers, and cover such topics as envy, foreign travel, and "a caveat against bubbling" (p. 115). The preface notes that the final four papers - on reasons against repealing the statute on witchcraft, on the pride of man, on arbitrary government, and on false religion, were published here for the first time. As a nonconformist, Wilson was unable to study at Oxford or Cambridge: he instead pursued alchemical studies at Gresham College. His authorship of these essays is based on manuscript attributions in several copies: the contemporary inscription by "WP" in this copy also notes "author Mr Willson".

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