Author: [EACHARD (John)]:
Title: The Grounds & Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy and Religion Enquired into. In a Letter to R. L.
Description: London, Printed by W. Godbid for N. Brooke, at the Angel in Cornhill. 1670. FIRST EDITION. 12mo, 146x 87 mms., pp.[vi], 131 [132 - 136 adverts, contemporary sheepskin with early reback; lacks front paste-down end-paper and one of the two initial blank leaves, last leaf wormed, binding a bit worn, but a good copy of the first edition in a contemporary binding, with the booksller's ticket of R. Crozier, 29 Bow Street [London] on the verso of the front board and the autograph and dae "Fran Sharp/ 1708/ ?1758" on the recto of the front free end-paper. John Eachard (1637 - 1697) published only a modest amount during his life, mostly between 1670 and 1673. The present work is concerned with emoluments and education, and his wit anticipates that of Swift in his two satires, A Tale of a Tub and The Battle of the Books. Source hunting is, of course, notoriously perilous, but a few scholars have commented on the styles of Swift and Each, e.g. Robert C. Elliot, in "Swift and Dr. Eachard" (PMLA), 69; 1954: "Eachard shares with Swift a quality of irrepressibly exuberant imagination; in both men, it seems, fancy has got astride of reason and is off on its wild and whirling--and very amusing--way."

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