Bound autograph manuscript in several unknown hands.
Description:
Bound in vellum., Stamp of St. Francis Xavier College Library inside front cover. From the library of St. Francis Xavier College, New York. From the collection of Otto Dümler. Gift of Mrs. Otto Dümler., and Title in English from inside front cover, written by later owner. Manuscript in Spanish.
Subject (Name):
Dümler, Otto--Ownership and Saint Francis Xavier College--Ownership
Manuscript on paper, in a single Italic hand, of several hundred brief religious meditations divided into four "centuries" of 100 meditations each; the first and last centuries are incomplete. Topics include the God's love, doing good works, and hypostatical union. The author writes, "Light is not more Beautifull, and Healing in the Sun, then the Beams of his Gospel Shining in our chambers. We were before Like Dragons inhabiting the Parched Places of the Desart wildernes: now streams and Rivers flow upon the Top of evry Hill," and he describes human fallibility thus: "Man is in this Glorious world Environed with Delights and Spiritual Exaltations, Ineffable Joys and celestial Treasures. But is in the midst of all a filthy peece of Insensat Dirt, a careless Stupid & Repining Devil." The manuscript also includes several meditations in verse and a longer treatise on the soul.
Description:
Accompanied by newspaper article by James Osborn attributing the manuscript to Thomas Traherne., Binding: full sheep., and Scans include backlit images of pp. 226, 244, 246 to reveal watermarks.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain--Religious life and customs
Subject (Name):
Traherne, Thomas, d. 1674
Subject (Topic):
Devotional literature, English literature--17th century, English poetry--17th century, Meditations, Meditations (Religious), and Religious poetry, English
Contemporary MS copy, titled, "The discourse of John Selden, Esq. or, his sense of various matters of wright and high consequence relating especially to religion and state." and This manuscript appears to be based on early manuscripts, and not on the printed edition of 1689.