Rites of Funeral, Ancient and Modern, in Use Through the Known World ... to which is added A Vindication of Christianity against Paganism.
London: R. Royston, 1683 & 1682. First Edition Thus. Hardcover. Small octavo. Two volumes in one, each with separate title page. [xii] + 308pp. + [xvi] + 128pp. Later full leather binding with gilt lettering & rules on spine. Fresh endpapers. Two books in on volume, each separately paginated and with it's own title page. The "Vindication of Christianity against Paganism" has the year 1682 on the title page, whilst the "Rites of Funeral" has the year 1683. The "Rites of Funeral" is a translation, by Paul Lorrain, of "Les ceremonies funebres de toutes les nations" by Pierre Muret, an early study of funerary rites and customs. It includes chapters on the rites of the "Egyptians, Grecians, Romans, Persians, Turks, Chinese, Americans, of some Islanders, of the Tartars" and on "Living Sepulchres, Fiery Sepulchres, Water-Burials, Airy Obsequies, Burials Above Ground," etc. etc. The chapter on the funerary customs of various native American tribes must surely be amongst the earliest specific studies of the subject. The second part, by Paul Lorrain, is titled: "Marcus Minucius Felix, His Octavius; or, A vindication of Christianity against Paganism," London 1682. Curiously the page following the title page bears the translator's dedication to Samuel Pepys - the English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most widely remembered on account of his salacious diaries, although these were not published until many decades after his death. Page-edges darkened, the first blank page has a lengthy but unobtrusive contemporary pen inscription & lacks a small piece from the top corner. Top margin cropped so that it touches the running head on a few leaves. Faint toning to pages, still a solid, complete VG copy. Item #45477
Price: $850.00