The first English dialect dictionary
A collection of English words not generally used, with their significations and original, in two alphabetical catalogues, the one of such as are proper to the northern, the other to the southern counties. With catalogues of English birds and fishes: and an account of the preparing and refining such metals and minerals as are gotten in England
London: printed by H. Bruges for Tho. Burrell, at the Golden-Ball under St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, 1674. First edition of the first book on English dialects, and the first English dialect dictionary; small 8vo, pp. [14], [1]-178 (i.e. 148); blank leaves A1 and L4 are not preserved; Title page printed in red and black; bottom margin trimmed close with the loss of one catchword; small worm track in lower outer corner of title page extending in 3 leaves; all else quite nice in recent half brown calf antique, red morocco label on spine. In this issue there is a comma after "Ray" in the title but no comma after "words". "Birds" and "fishes" in the title are printed in black. While on his botanical journeys throughout England, which brought Ray (1627-1705) everlasting fame, he had the opportunity to study local antiquities and customs, as well as local dialects. This work, together with his Collection of English Proverbs (1670), is an outgrowth of these travels. On one of his treks into Cornwall he made notes on the smelting industry, and recorded his observations (included in a separate section at the back of this volume) on the smelting and refining of silver, tin and iron. Also included is a brief section on husbandry. The sections on the names of British birds and fishes were largely the work of Francis Willughby. An expanded and much more common edition appeared in 1691. Alston IX, 1; Keynes 23; Wing R388. Item #64512
Price: $2,000.00
