Printed for Tho. Flesher at the Angel and Crown, and Edward Evets at the Green Dragon, in St. Pauls Church-yard, London, 1683.
First English edition contemporary calf bound hardcover of The Cure of Old Age, and Preservation of Youth, shewing how to cure and keep off the Accidents of Old Age; and how to preserve the youth, Strength and Beauty of Body, and the Senses, and all the Faculties of both Body and Mind. By that great Mathematician and Physician Roger Bacon, a Franciscan Frier. Translated out of Latin, with Annotations, and an Account of his Life and Writings by Richard Browne. M.L. Coll. Med. Lond. -- With, Arbor Vitae, or, A Physical Account of the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, by Edward Madeira Arrais M.D., Physician to John the IV. King of Portugal. Translated out of the Latine by Richard Browne. Octavo. [20] (general title, The Cure of Old Age title) 156; [3] (Tree of Life title) 108 [4] (contents); [1] (advertisements). A8,a8.b4,B-S8,T4 [T4,ads].
Roger Bacon (c. 1219-1292) was regarded as one of the greatest medieval polymaths. He studied at Oxford then began teaching at the University of Paris. After becoming a friar in the Franciscan order in 1256, he was limited by a statute prohibiting friars of his order from publishing books or pamphlets without prior approval. Bacon secretly circumvented this restriction after his acquaintance, Guy de Foulques (bishop of Narbonne, cardinal of Sabina), became Pope Clement IV. With Clement's secret approval Bacon composed a staggering volume of works, over a million words, within a single year -- one of the most impressive efforts of literary productivity ever known.
This volume was previously owned by William North, 6th Baron North and 2nd Baron Grey (1678-1734), whose armorial bookplate, dated 1703, is originally pasted inside the front cover. North came from an intellectual clan and was the first of his family to become a soldier, rising to the rank of Lieutenant General. He lost his hand at the Battle of Blenheim on August 13, 1704 while commanding the Lord North and Grey's Regiment of Foot (ironically). If this was his page-turning hand, he would have only read this book comfortably for 1 year.
The volume's second known owner was Professor James J. Waring, M.D. (1883-1962), the first full-time Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Waring's bookplate is pasted over North's in a daring display of dominance. Waring graduated from the UCSM in 1913 after leaving his medical studies at Johns Hopkins to head west to recuperate from tuberculosis. Dr. Waring donated medical books from his collection to the Denison Memorial Library, which became the basis of the Waring History of Medicine Collection.
This volume's third great owner is you!
Fair condition as front board is completely separated at the hinge. Volume is otherwise near fine with tight binding and crisp pages. Ex-library sticker to spine and pencil markings to back cover. Two previous owners' bookplates inside front cover. Bookseller bibliography pasted to rear fly leaf. Tree of Life section issues found: Pages 19-20 half-inch tear with loss along lower right corner that does not affect text. Small isolated chip to edge of page 62. Page 95 1-inch tear with loss to lower right corner that does not affect text.
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