Harris cat.
The First American Book Selection Guide
A SELECED [sic] CATALOGUE
of some of the most esteemed
PUBLICATIONS
in the
ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
Proper to form a
Social Library:
With an
INTRODUCTION upon the CHOICE OF BOOKS.
By Thaddeus M. Harris, A.M.
Librarian of Harvard University, and Author of "The Nat-
ural History of the Bible," and "A Short and Practical Sys-
tem of Punctuation."
Catalogues given gratis by the Publishers.
Printed at Boston,
by I. Thomas and E. T. Andrews,
Faust's Statue, No. 45. Newbury Street.
1793.
OBSERVATIONS UPON BOOKS AND
READING.
"The world is full of books, but there are multitudes which are so ill written that they are never worth any man's reading; and there are thousands more which may be good in their kind, yet are worth nothing when the month or year, or occasion is past for which they were written. Others may be valuable in themselves, for some special purpose, or in some peculiar science, but are not fit to be perused by any but those who are engaged in that particular science or business. To what use is it for a divine, or a physician, or a tradesman, to read over the huge volumes of reports of judged cases in the law? Or for a lawyer to learn Hebrew and read the Rabbines? It is of vast advantage for improvement of knowledge and saving time, for a person to have the most proper books for his reading recommended by a judicious friend."
[WATTS on the Improvement of the MIND, Chap. 9.]
"Great variety of books, like great variety of meats, serve only first to pamper the appetite and then to confound it. A few STANDARD BOOKS, read with attention and digested with prudence, form the mind upon a regular system, and form the man a regular scholar."
[LAMONT, Sermons, p. 338.]
INTRODUCTION.
I have remarked with pleasure the reviving taste for literature among the different classes of people throughout the State. And the number and improved condition of our schools and other seminaries of learning, and daily plans for forming private and social libraries, are evidences of its increase, and predictions of its more general diffusion. Books, of course, are in great demand, and eagerly read. But they have become so exceedingly numerous as to require uninterrupted attention, through more than the longevity of an antediluvian, to peruse them all. Indeed, it would be a vain attempt to collect or read all of those only that are really valuable.--Few persons, excepting professed students, can appropriate a large portion of their time to literary pursuits. Even the short space they would be willing to assign, is liable to be interrupted by the necessary avocations, and contracted by the unavoidable duties and cares of life. Since but few books can be perused by the generality of people, they should be those only which are most excellent. And Seneca's observation to his friend concerning books, is still worth noticing in our choice of a library: "non refert quam MULTOS, sed quam BONOS habeas;"* It is not an object to have MANY, but GOOD ones.--So that the greatest caution is necessary in selecting those of established reputation from the many that are indifferent or useless.
For the sake then of having time, and of directing the judgment of the inexperienced, it becomes, says Mr. Knox,+ an useful attempt to suggest some general hints, which may tend to facilitate selection."
To address to the learned directions for choice of authors, or furnish a catalogue for the formation of their libraries, were no less presumptuous than superfluous. But people at distance in the country have but few opportunities for knowing the characters even of books which have been long in use; and still fewer for acquaintance with recent publications. And indeed, the generality of readers lie under many inconveniences in their choice, and find it extremely difficult to separate the most valuable compositions from the many worthless works among which they are crouded in the shops.--The pointing out a few to the notice of such, with a design to facilitate their enquiries, or abbreviate their labors, may, I presume, be ventured upon without arrogance, and prove equally useful and acceptable.
My situation has in some degree qualified me for this office. Surrounded by the largest collection of books in America, and having made it a constant practice to read all the English reviews, I have unavoidably become acquainted with the characters of literary productions now in repute. And in forming the catalogue now offered to the public, I have used my best knowledge and judgment. I recommend it as containing some of the most esteemed writers in the English language.
As it has been my endeavour to form a catalogue for a small and cheap library, intended to suit the tastes and circumstances of common readers, many valuable works, in the higher departments of science, have been intentionally omitted. And imperfect as the list may be found, in other respects, yet I trust it will appear that there are sufficient under each head to give a satisfactory and comprehensive (though in some instances very short) view of that particular department of knowledge.
I have deemed it convenient to arrange the books according to the subject of which they treat. This renders a catalogue perspicuous; and will be found of essential advantage to the reader, who will be pleased with seeing, at one view, the different authors upon the branch of knowledge he is prosecuting. The general delineation of human science, suggested by the immortal Bacon, and since illustrated and enlarged by the learned D'Alembert, of dividing and sorting books into three classes, correspond[ing] with the three great divisions of the mental faculties, memory, reason and imagination, has been adopted as the most rational and clear.
* Epist. 45.
+Essay No. 174.
ARRANGEMENT.
MEMORY.
I. Sacred history, 7
II. Ecclesiastical History, ibid.
III. Civil History: Including Biography,8
IV. Natural History, 10
V. Voyages and Travels, ibid.
VI. Geography and Topography, 12
REASON.
I. Theology, 13
II. Mythology, 15
III. Ethics; or the Moral System in General, ibid.
IV. Grammars, Dictionaries, ibid.
V. Logic, Rhetoric and Criticism, 16
VI. General and Local Politics, ibid.
VII. Law,17
VIII. Metaphysics, ibid.
IX. Arithmetic, Geometry and Algebra, ib.
X. Natural and Experimental Philosophy: Including Astronomy,18
XI. Chymistry, ibid.
XII. Agriculture, ibid.
XIII. Arts and Manufactures, ibid.
IMAGINATION.
I. Poetry and the Drama, 19
II. Works of Fiction, 21
III. The Fine Arts, ibid.
Miscellaneous, ibid.
SELECTED CATALOGUE.
I. SACRED HISTORY.
Dictionary of the Bible, 3 vols. 8vo, Lond. 1771.
Grey's Key to the Books of the Old and New Testament and Apocrypha, 8vo. Lond. 1790.
Maynard's Translation of Josephus.
Percy's Short Account of the several Books of the New Testament, 12mo.
Prideaux's Connection of the History of the Old and New Testament, 4 vols. 8vo.
Shuckford's Connection of Sacred and Prophane History, 3 vols. 8vo.
Stackhouse's History of the Bible, 6 vols. 8vo.
Mrs. Trimmer's Sacred History, 6 vols. 12mo.
II. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
Gregory's History of the Christian Church from the earliest periods to the present time, 2 vols. 12mo. Lond. 1790.
Salisbury's Translation of Professor Bullet's History of the Establishment of Christianity, 8vo. Lond. 1776.
III. CIVIL HISTORY and BIOGRAPHY.
Aiken's View of the Character and Public Services of Howard the Philanthropist, 12mo. Lond. 1792.
America, History of, extracted from the American Edition of the Encyclopedia, 12mo. Philadelphia, 1790.
Beckford's History of France.
Belknap's History of New Hampshire, 3 vols. 8vo. Bost. 1792.
Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, abridged, 2 vols. 8vo.
Goldsmith's History of England, 4 vols. 8vo.
------Rome, 2 vols. 8vo.
Henry's History of Great Britain [upon a new plan] 10 vols. 8vo. Lond. 1792.
Hume's History of England, with Smollett's Continuation, 13 vols. 8vo.
Hutchinson's History of Massachusetts, 3 vols. 8vo. Bost. 1767.
Kippis's Life of Dr. Doddridge, 12mo. Bost. 1793
Johnson's Lives of the English Poets, 6 vols. 12mo. Lond. 1791.
Millot's Elements of General History, Ancient and Modern, 5 vols. 8vo. Worcester, 1790.
Millot's History of France, 2 vols. 12mo.
Minot's History of the Insurrections in Massachusetts in 1786, 8vo. Worcester.
Northouck's Historical and Classical Dictionary; containing the Lives and Characters of the most eminent and learned persons in every age and nation, from the earliest periods to the present time, 2 vols. 8vo.
Priestley's Lectures on History, 8vo.
Ramsay's History of the late American Revolution, 2 vols. 8vo.
Raynal's History of the European Settlements in the East and West Indies: Translated by Justamond, 8 vols. 8vo. Lond. 2d edition.
Riley's Historical Pocket Library, 6 vols. 12mo. Lond. 1790.
Robertson's History of Scotland, 2 vols. 8vo.
------Charles V. 4 vols. 8vo.
------Greece, 8vo.
------South America, 3 vols. 8vo.
------Historical Disquisitions concerning the knowledge which the Ancients had of India, 8vo. Philad. 1792.
Rollin's Ancient History, 10 vols. 12mo.
Russel's History of Antient and Modern Europe, 7 vols. 8vo. Lond. 1782 and 1791.
Smith's History of New York, 8vo.
Stretch's Beauties of History, 2 vols. 12mo.
Stuart's View of Europe, 2 vols.
------History of Scotland, 2 vols. 8vo. 2d. edition, Lond. 1783.
Tablet of Memory: or Historian's Assistant, 12mo.
Thompson's Spirit of General History, from the 8th to the 18th century; in a series of Lectures, wherein is given a view of the Progress of Society, in Manners and Legislation, during that period. 8vo. Lond. 1792.
Vertot's History of the Revolutions of Rome. 2 vols. 8vo.
Vertot's History of the Revolutions of Spain, 5 vols. 8vo.
------Sweden, 8vo.
------Portugal, 8vo.
Voltaire's History of Lewis XV. 2 vols. 12mo.
------XVI. 2 vols. 12mo.
Watson's History of the Reign of Philip II. 3 vols. 8vo. 4th edition, Lond. 1785.
------Philip III. with the additions of W. Thompson, 2 vols. 8vo. 2d. edition, Lond. 1786.
IV. NATURAL HISTORY.
Kirwan's Mineralogy and Metallurgy, 2 vols. 8vo.
Magellan on Mineral Waters, and Eudeometers. 8vo.
Natural History of Insects, compiled from Swammerdam, Brooks, Goldsmith, &c. embellished with plates, 8vo. Perth, 1792.
Riley's Beauties of Creation: or a New Moral System of Natural History, 2 vols. 12mo. Lond. 1790.
Rousseau's Botany, 8vo.
System of Natural History; Quadrupeds, Birds, Fishes, and Insects, 3 vols. 8vo. Edinb. 1792.
V. VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.
Adams' Account of Modern Travels, 2 vols. 12mo.
------Voyages, 12mo.
Barthelemi's Travels of Anacharsis into Greece, 7 vols. 8vo.
Bartram's Travels through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, &c. 8vo. Philad. 1791.
Bruce's Travels to discover the Source of the Nile, 6 vols. 8vo. Dublin.
Brydone's Tour through Sicily. Bost. 1792.
Burgoanne's Travels through Spain.
Carver's Travels into the interior parts of North America: With the life of the Author, by Dr. Letsom. 12mo.
Costigan's Sketches of Society and Manners in Portugal, 2 vols. 8vo.
Coxe's Travels through Poland, Russia, Sweden, and Denmark, 5 vols. 8vo.
De Page's Voyage round the World in 1767, 1768, 1769, 1770, and 1771. Translated from the French, 2 vols. 8vo. 1791.
Forster's Observations made during a Voyage with Capt. Cook to the South Seas. 4to. Lond. 1778.
Forster's History of Voyages, 8vo.
Hasselquist's Travels into the Levant, 8vo. Lond. 1766.
Kalm's Travels through North America, translated by J. R. Forster, 2 vols. 8vo. 2d. edition, Lond. 1772.
Lobo's Voyage to Abyssinia, Dr. Johnson's edition, 8vo.
Long's Voyages and Travels of an Indian Interpreter and Trader; describing the North American Indians, 4to. Lond. 1791.
Mariti's Travels through Cyprus, Syria, and Palestine; with a general History of the Levant, 2 vols. 8vo. Dublin, 1792.
Moore's Travels through France, Italy, Switzerland, &c. 2 vols. Bost. 1792.
Poiret's Letters respecting Barbary, 12mo. 1791.
Savary's Letters on Egypt, 2 vols. 8vo. 2d. edition, Lond. 1787.
Swinburne's Travels into the Two Siciolies, 4 vols. 8vo. 1791.
Swinton's Travels into Norway, Denmark, and Russia, in 1788, 89, 90, 91, 8vo.
Volney's Travels into Syria, 8vo.
VI. GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY.
Blair's History of the Rise and Progress of Geography, 12mo.
Brooke's Gazetteer, 8vo.
Jefferson's Notes on Virginia, 8vo.
Imlay's Topography of the Western Territory of North America. 12mo.
MacBean's Dictionary of Ancient Geography, 8vo. Lond. 1775.
Morse's System of Geography, 2 vols. 8vo. Bost. 1793.
Turner's Introduction to Geography, 12mo. 4th Edition, Lond. 1789.
Zimmerman's Statistical Survey of Europe, 8vo.
PART II.
I. THEOLOGY.
Miss Adams's View of Religions, 8vo. 2d. edition. Bost. 1790.
American Preacher, 4 vols. 8vo. New Haven.
Beattie on the Evidences of the Christian Religion, 12mo. Philad.
Bell on the Lord's Supper, 8vo.
Blair's Sermons, 3 vols. in 2. 8vo. Bost.
Doddridge's Family Expositor; with his Life, by Dr. Kippis, 6 vols. 8vo.
Enfield's English Preacher, 9 vols. 12mo. Lon. 1774.
------Sermons, 2 vols. 12mo.
------Biographical Sermons, 12mo.
Estimate of the Religion of the Fashionable World, 12mo. Lond. 1791.
Fordyce's Sermons to young Women, 12mo.
------Addresses to young Men, 12mo.
------to the Deity, 12mo.
Franklin's Sermons on the Relative Duties, 8vo.
------Posthumous Sermons, 8vo.
Gerrard on the Genius and Evidences of Christianity, 8vo.
Genlis' Sacred Dramas; translated by Holcroft, 12mo.
Hunter (David) Life of Christ, 2 vols. 12mo.
------(Henry) Biographical Sermons, 6 vols. 8vo.
Jermant's Sermons on Parental Duty, 8vo. Lond. 1792.
Kelt's Sermons at the Bampton Lecture, on the importance of an intimate acquaintance with the Writings of the Fathers. 1791.
Knox's Sermons on Faith, Hope, and Charity, 8vo.
------Family Lectures, or Domestic Divinity: Being a copious collection of Sermons, 8vo. Lond. 1792.
Lathrop's Sermons on various subjects, Evangelical, Devotional, and Practical, adapted to the promotion of Christian Piety, Family Religion and Youthful Virtue, 8vo. Worc. 1793.
Law's Theory of Religion, 8vo.
Lyttleton's Letter on the Conversion of St. Paul. 8vo.
Necker on the Importance of Religious Opinions, 12mo. Philad.
Newton on the Prophecies, 2 vols. 12mo. 9th edition, Perth.
Puley's Hor* Daulin*, or the truth of the Scripture History of St. Paul, evinced by a comparison of the Epistles which bear his name with the Acts of the Apostles, and with one another, 8vo. 1790.
Price's Dissertation on Providence, Prayer, the union of Virtuous Men in a Future State and the importance of Christianity, 8vo.
Price's Sermons on the Security and Happiness of a Virtuous Course, &c. 12mo. Philad. 1788.
Toulmin's Dissertations on the Evidences and Excellence of the Christian Religion, 8vo.
West's Observations on the History and Evidence of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, 8vo.
White's Sermons at the Bampton Lecture.
II. MYTHOLOGY.
Blackwell's Letters concerning Mythology, 8vo.
Boyce's Pantheon, or History of the Heathen Gods, &c. 12mo.
Riley's Heathen Mythology [the first volume of the Historical Pocket Library] 12mo.
III. ETHICS.
Burgh on the Dignity of Human Nature, 2 Vols. 8vo.
Enfield's History of Philosophy from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Present Century, 8vo. 2 Vols. Dublin.
Fordyce's Elements of Moral Philosophy. 12mo.
Gisborne's Investigation of the Principles of Morality, 8vo. Lond. 1789.
Mason on Self Knowledge, 12mo. Boston.
Parsons's Essays on Education, 8vo. Lond. 1789.
Paley's Elements of Moral and Political Philosophy, 8vo. Philad.
Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments, 8vo.
IV. GRAMMARS and DICTIONARIES.
Alexander's Grammatical System of the English language, 12mo. Boston, 1792.
Alexander's Grammatical Elements, 12mo. Boston, 1793.
Bingham's Lady's Accidence, 12mo.
Johnson's Dictionary, 8vo.
Lowth's Grammar, 12mo.
Perry's Grammar and Dictionary, Worc.
Ash's Dictionary, 8vo.
V. LOGIC, RHETORIC, & CRITICISM.
Blair's Essays on Rhetoric, Abridged from his Lectures, 12mo. new edition enlarged, Bost. 1793.
Dana's Selection for the Use of Schools, 12mo. Bost.
Enfield's Speaker and Exercises, 2 Vols. 12mo.
Kaims' Elements of Criticism, 2 Vols. 8vo.
Sheridan on Elocution, 2 Vols. 8vo.
VI. GENERAL and LOCAL POLITICS
Burke's Answer to Paine on the Rights of Man
Federalist, 2 Vols. 12mo. Philada.
Ferguson's Essay on the History of Civil Society, 8vo.
Mackintosh's Reply to Burke.
Montague on the Rise and Fall of the Ancient Republics, 8vo.
Montesquieu's Spirit of Laws, 2 Vols. 8vo.
Paine's Rights of Man.
------Writings, collected, 1 Vol. 8vo.
Price on Civil Liberty, and the American War. 8vo.
Smith on the Wealth of Nations, 3 Vols. 12mo.
VII. LAW.
Beccaria's Essay on Crimes and Punishments, 8vo.
Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England, 4 Vols. 12mo. Worcester.
Burlamaqui on the Principles of Natural and Political Law, 8vo. Bost.
Constitutions and Laws, of the United States and Individual States.
Freeman's Town Officer, 12mo.
------'s Probate Auxiliary, 12mo.
VIII. METAPHYSICS.
Beattie on Truth, 8vo.
Locke's Essay Concerning the Human Understanding, 2 Vols. 8vo.
Reid's Essays on the Intellectual and Active Faculties, 3 Vols. 8vo.
IX. ARITHMETIC, GEOMETRY and ALGEBRA.
Bonnycastle's Algebra.
Love on the Art of Surveying, 8vo.
Pike's New and Complete System of Arithmetic, 8vo.
------do. ------abridged.
Turner's New Introduction to Book Keeping, after the Italian Method; laid down in a manner so easy and intelligible as to be understood in a few days, 12mo. 2d. edition, Lond. 1789.
X. NATURL and EXPERIMENTAL PHILOSOPHY, including ASTRONOMY.
Bonnycastle's Astronomy, 8vo.
Hooper's Rational Recreations; in which the Principles of Numbers and Natural Philosophy are clearly, and copiously elucidated, by in a series of easy, entertaining, and interesting experiments, 4 vols. 8vo.
Rowning's Compendious System of Natural Philosophy, 2 vols. 8vo.
Turner's View of the Heavens, 12mo. 2d. edition, Lond. 1789.
CHYMISTRY.
Fourcroy's Chymistry, 3 vols. 8vo.
Neuman's Chymistry, 2 vols. 8vo.
Watson's Chymical Essays, 5 vols. 12mo.
AGRICULTURE.
Dean's American Farmer, 8vo. Worc.
Hunter's Georgical Essays, 4 vols. 8vo.
Templeman's Observations on Grasses, 8vo.
XIII. ARTS and MANUFACTURES.
Bertezen on Silk Worms, 8vo.
Gee on the Culture of Hemp, 8vo.
Haigh's Dyer's Assistant, 12mo. Lond. 1779.
------Hints to Dyers and Cloth Makers, 8vo. Lond. 1780.
Higgins on Cements, 8vo. 1781.
Horne's Essays concerning Iron and Steel, 12mo. Lond. 1774.
Imison's School of the Arts, 2 vols. 8vo.
Leather, Art of Tanning and Currying, 12mo.
Loriot's Essay on a Cement or Artificial Stone, 8vo. Lond. 1771.
Marcandier on Hemp, 8vo.
Pullein on the culture of Silk and Silk Worms, 8vo.
Raspe's Essay on Oil Painting, 4to. Lond. 1781.
Richardson's Theoretic Hints on an Improved Method of Brewing Malt Liquors. 8vo. Lond. 1777.
Robinson's Gentleman and Builder's Directory, 8vo. Lond. 1774.
Smeaton on Mills, 4to.
Stone's Complete Baker, 8vo. Lond. 1771.
Transactions of the Society in London, for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce, 8 vols. 8vo.
Turner's Introduction to the Arts, 12mo. Lond. 1784.
PART III.
I. POETRY and the DRAMA.
Barlow's Vision of Columbus, 12mo. 2d. edition, Hartford, 1787.
Beauties of Poetry, British and American, 12mo. Philad. 1791.
Beauties of the English Theatre, 12 vols. 12mo.
Bell's Classical Arrangement of Fugitive Poetry, 12 vols. 12mo. Lond. 1789.
British Album, 12mo. Bost.
Collins' Poetical Works, with his Life, by Dr. Langhorne, 12mo.