65 HISTORY & CULTURE “The Keys To The Long Lost Prisca Theologia”: First Edition Of Newton’s Observations, 1733 85NEWTON, Isaac. Observations Upon the Prophecies of Daniel, And the Apocalypse of St. John. In Two Parts. London, 1733. Quarto, 19thcentury full diced brown calf rebacked with original spine neatly laid down. $7800 First edition of Newton’s only “major work on the subject” of prophecy and symbolic writings, published six years after his death. Newton’s long interest in prophecy produced his only “major work on the subject… Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel” (DSB). “Like many of his contemporaries, Newton believed that prophecy concealed direct revelations of hidden truths that would reveal to men—very special men—the future course of history as set forth by the Creator from the beginning of time. He was especially drawn to Daniel of the Old Testament and John of the New because ‘the language of prophetic writings was symbolic… The Book of Daniel and the Revelation of Saint John the Divine were for Newton the keys to the long lost prisca theologia” (Christianson, 259). Like many of his time, Newton “found it no abrupt transition to pass from the study of the material universe to… predictions of Holy Writ” (Brewster). Interior clean, light rubbing to binding extremities. A nicely refurbished copy. Brewster’s Life Of Sir Isaac Newton, 1831, From The Library Of Charles Dickens, With His Bookplates 86(DICKENS, Charles) (NEWTON, Isaac) BREWSTER, David. The Life of Sir Isaac Newton. London, 1831. 12mo, contemporary threequarter red morocco gilt, custom chemise and full morocco gilt pull-off box. $8800 First edition, from Charles Dickens’ library at Gadshill, with his bookplates. Books purporting to be from Dickens’ library at the time of his death ought to meet three requirements: 1) Dickens’ engraved bookplate of a recumbent lion holding a star; 2) the smaller typeset “Gadshill Place” label, dated June 1870—these were affixed to volumes from Dickens’ library for the 1878 sale of part of the library coordinated by Dickens’ son Charley and Sotheran’s; 3) a corresponding listing in Stonehouse’s 1935 reprinting of the Sotheran’s inventory of the library for that sale; this volume meets all three criteria. Minor abrasion to spine, mild rubbing to joints and edges, light rubbing to boards. A near-fine copy, quite desirable with exceptional provenance.
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