Author: HOLDER (William):
Title: A Discourse Concerning Time, With Application of The Natural Day, and Lunar Month, and Solar Year, as Natural; And of such as are derived from them, As Artificial Parts of Time, for Measures in Civil and Common Use: For the better understanding of The Julian Year and Calendar. The First Column also in our Church-Calendar explained. With other Incidental Remarks.
Description: London, Printed by J. Heptinstall, for L. Meredith..., 1694. FIRST EDITION. 8vo, 171 x 104 mms., pp. [viii], 120, contemporary panelled calf. A fine copy, with the calligraphic autograph, probably contemporary, "Henry Wigley" on the top margin of the front paste-down end-paper, and "Berd. Whalley" on the top margin of the title-page. Wigley is probably the Reverend Henry Wigley of Pensham House, Worcestershire. Wigley was the grandfather, through his daughter, of Ambrose St. John (1815 - 1875), the Roman Catholic priest and headmaster, who was born in Islington, and this perhaps suggests an Islingtonian provenance for this book. In yet another hand, probably contemporary or early 18th century, are two salutary bromides: "It is very Rare, yt [that] either ye joy, or ye Benefit of an Estate infamously gotten, continues long." And: "To sleep, to eat, to drink, at other Peoples Hours [?House], to walk thier Pace & to Love & Hate as they do, is ye vilest of Servitudes." "Berd. Whalley" is possibly Bernard Whalley, correspondent of Alexander Pope and subscriber to Pope's translation of the Iliad, about whom very little is known. Holder (1615/16 - 1698) is also the author of Principles of Harmony, also published in 1694. Robert Poole in his ODNB article on Holder notes, " Holder's subsequent Discourse Concerning Time (1694), written to explain the issue of calendar reform and reissued in 1701 after the renewed English rejection of the Gregorian calendar, was an elegant exposition of the concept of harmony on a cosmic scale. In it he developed the idea that rational human perception was required to give meaning to creation, for 'Time is always Transient, in a continual Flux, neither to be seen, nor felt, nor reserved; but only measured by an Act of the Mind.'" Wing H2385. Macclesfield 1044. Further editions were published in 1701 an 1712.

Keywords: calendar chronology prose


See more books from our catalog: Calendar