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| Title | The book of knowledge: treating of the wisdom of the ancients (frontispiece) |
| Author | Erra Pater; Lilly, William, 1602-1681 (translator) |
| Publisher | Spencer, Thomas
|
| Publisher Location | United States -- New York -- Albany |
| Publication Date | 1794 |
| Printer | Phinney, E. (Canaan, New York)
|
| Illustrator | Unknown
|
| Image Production Process | Relief prints--woodcuts
|
| Notes | Illustrated with uncolored woodcuts.
Typical 18th century American original binding with leather spine and wooden boards covered with handmade paper.
This book contains practical advice about curing common illinesses and animal husbandry. It also includes information about how to use the pyschic arts, such as astrology, palmistry and physiognomy, to assess a person's character and to form predictions about their life based on their physical appearance and the relative positions of celestial bodies.
The frontispiece depicts a man looking through a telescope at the night sky. At his feet are a globe, fan, and apple, and in the background is a church. The illustration is accompanied by a verse: Soon as the evening shades prevail, the Moon takes up her wondrous tale, and nightly, to the listening Earth, repeats the story of her birth. While all the Orbs that round her burn, and all the Planets in their turn, proclaim the tidings, as they roll, and spread the truth, from pole to pole (taken from the hymn "The Spacious Firmament on High" by Joseph Addison). |
| Contextual Notes | On the title page, Erra Pater is described as "A Jew: Doctor in Astronomy and Physic; born in Bethany, near Mount Olivet, in Judea." There is some controversy over whether Erra Pater was an actual person or not. William Lilly is described as a "Student in Physic and Astrology." He was particularly well-known for his interest in horary astrology. |
| Subjects (LCSH) | Astrology; Fortune-telling; Veterinary medicine |
| Category | Natural sciences
Health and hygiene
|
| Language | English |
| Digital Collection | Children's Historical Literature Collection |
| Digital ID Number | CHL0016 |
| Repository | University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division |
| Repository Collection | Children's Historical Literature Collection BF1601.E7 1794 |
| Object Type | Book
|
| Physical Description | 103 p.: illustrated; 16 x 10.5 cm. |
| Digital Reproduction Information | Photographed from original book in TIFF format using a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi/EOS 400D, resized and enhanced using Adobe Photoshop, and imported as JPEG2000 using Contentdm's software JPEG2000 Extension. 2009. |
| Exhibit Checklist | Exhibit Checklist 10.1 |
