The Christian Philosopher; A Collection of the Best Discoveries in Nature, with Religious Improvements

Charlestown: The Middlesex Bookstore / J. McKown, Printer, 1815. Second Edition. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. 0x0x0. Second edition. Rebacked with new paper spine (sympathetic to original binding style), with some restoration to boards and a few pages. Boards rubbed & soiled, minor tears and creases to edges of a handful of pages with minor loss from margins of a few. 1815 Hard Cover. 324 pp. 12mo., bound in sixes. 1815 reissue of the work originally published in 1721. A work of natural philosophy from a Christian perspective, written by the famous colonial American minister. Sabin 46253: "Hereby hangs a funny tale. About the year 1714, Cotton Mather in Boston was dubbed with F.R.S., a trinity of capitals which flattering his vanity he adopted and wore, though somewhat against his previous teachings in regard to worldly distinctions. The first of his 383 books that came out after the receipt of this polished handle bore F.R.S. after his name, much to the astonishment of his rivals, and amusement of his fellow citizens. He immediately wrote to the Secretary of the Royal Society thanking him, and continued through life to be an active correspondent, all but the first letter being still preserved by the Society. Some, in the Doctor’s lifetime, said he had been hoaxed, and never was really elected, while others, and among them his son, manfully contended that he was really one of the Philosophers. This book was written during the controversy to show that he was both competent and willing to be an F.R.S. To this day the question is not settled---Was Cotton Mather an F.R.S.' There is nothing in the Society’s records to show it, though the names of a dozen other Americans are recorded."---STEVENS.