Mediations and Contemplations, to which is Prefixed the Life of the Author, Volumes I & II

Complete in two volumes, volume one containing Mediations Among the Tombs; Reflections on a Flower Garden; and a Descant on Creation, and volume two containing Contemplations on the Night; Contemplations on the Starry Heavens and A Winter Piece.  lxviii, 284pp; viii, 312pp, two engraved frontispieces, two engraved title pages and nine further engraved plates across both volumes.  Bound in contemporary tree calf with gilt border decorations, black leather spine labels with gilt-stamped titles.  All edges sprayed red.  Marbled endpapers surrounded by gilt dentelles.  8vos.  Boards are rubbed and scuffed, especially on edges and joint, with some minor leather loss at spine ends, rubbed right through on corners.  Rear panel of volume to slightly loosened. Ex lending library volumes with bookplate and barcode on front endpapers, leading sheet and pocket on rear endpapers, minor annotations and small stamp on copyright pages (no other library markings).  Previous owner’s (Charlotte Scott?) name stamped on page one of both volumes.  There’s some spotting and foxing on the first and last few leaves of both volumes, and a little spotting on the rear of some of the plates else generally internally neat and clean.

James Hervey (1714-1758) was an English writer and clergyman. Although influenced by Wesley and the Oxford Methodists, he remained a committed Calvinist.  Mediations and Contemplations was his first published work, first appearing in 1746 with many further editions appearing in his lifetime. Said to be modelled on Robert Boyle’s Occasional Reflections on Various Subjects (1665) but Hervey’s style is more bombastic and revealing of both simple piety and a genuine appreciation of natural beauty.