First Edition of Godfrey's "Treasure of Useful Discoveries"
Treasure of Useful Discoveries. In Two Parts. I. Remarks on divers aliments or eatables, whereby to know which are not digested by our Stomachs; and those unfit for our Bodies are pointed out: Also, an Account of the Nutriment or Chyle divers Foods give into the Blood; proper to be known by Persons apt to be too Corpulent, or too Thin, in order to prevent Pain and Diseases, in a great measure, and sudden Deaths. II. A number of valuable discoveries of universal benefit to the publick. Dedicated to the Dublin-Society.
Dublin: Printed for the Author, 1746.
Full Description:
GODFREY, Boyle. A Treasure of Useful Discoveries. In Two Parts.. I. Remarks on divers aliments or eatables, whereby to know which are not digested by our Stomachs; and those unfit for our Bodies are pointed out: Also, an Account of the Nutriment or Chyle divers Foods give into the Blood; proper to be known by Persons apt to be too Corpulent, or too Thin, in order to prevent Pain and Diseases, in a great measure, and sudden Deaths. II. A number of valuable discoveries of universal benefit to the publick. Dedicated to the Dublin-Society. Dublin: Printed for the Author, 1746.
First edition. Octavo (7 1/4 x 4 1/2 inches; 182 x 113 mm). [10], [1, errata], [1, blank], 314, [2]pp. With woodcut frontispiece before page 1 of text. With the errata leaf. With engraved endpieces. We could find no other copy of this first edition besides the present copy on Rare Book Hub.
Contemporary full speckled calf. Spine with red morocco spine label, lettered and ruled in gilt. Leaf Cc2 with a torn corner, not affecting text. Outer hinges rubbed. Front outer hinge with a small crack at bottom, but holding firm. Overall a very good copy.
The two parts of this book consist of "Observations upon Aliments, in Order to Health and Long Life. " in which the author lists numerous different types of food and comments on their positive or negative health benefits. The final note of this section states "P.S. Speaking here of Health, I would add one more Caution, tho' of a different Kind, viz. Not to suffer Children to be swung in a swing by the neck to make it longer, as is the present custom; for I have known mischief ensue from it twice, when one Child got a tumor on the chest, and another fell into strong twitchings as if convulsed." Part II is entitled "Observations and Experiments on Some Parts of the Materia Medica, &c. Whence will appear the present Mistakes about the same. The Subsections of Part 2 include "Many useful Discoveries or Arts, of Real Benefit to the Publick, that occurr'd to the author during many years Researches in Chymistry", "An Account of Some attempts, to make distilled Sea-Water wholesome", "Some Considerations about Means to Preserve Freshwater Sweet", "Directions to Preserve Ship-Biscuit and Corn from being eaten by Weevels, Maggots, or Worms", "Directions for Salting Animals Whole, in order to make the Slesh keep Sweet in hot Climates", "A Proposal for Cleaning away Mud, &c. Where Waters have a Stream or Current", and "The Method of Making Phosphorus." The final leaf contains "A List of Some Useful Discoveries made by the Author, or that he is Master of." Some of these discoveries include "Making Citron-Water here like Barbadoes" and "To Extinguish Houses on Fire speedily."
Boyle Godfrey was the son of Ambrose Godfrey famous chemist and employee of Robert Boyle (For whom his son was named after). While under the employ of Robert Boyle, Ambrose "quickly distinguished himself by perfecting the difficult isolation of white phosphorus, a newly discovered substance which attracted great attention. Its preparation in quantity was a closely guarded secret, and Godfrey held the monopoly on its lucrative trade for over forty years... Boyle Godfrey [formerly Boyle Godfrey Hanckwitz] (1682/3–1753), eldest son of Ambrose, born in Chandos Street, London, was named after his father's beloved employer. He lived extravagantly, and his looseness with money led to an estrangement from his family. His chronic financial straits have been attributed to a pursuit of alchemy, but there is no evidence for the claim, which is a prejudiced nineteenth-century fiction. In his will his father left him only a small allowance 'that he might not want bread' and claimed that he had squandered 'many thousand pounds'... Pursuit by creditors caused him to flee England in 1731. He attempted to practise medicine at Rotterdam without a degree, then went to France in 1734 where he tried to lecture on chemistry, and where he purportedly obtained an MD. His money troubles continued. He returned to England in 1736 and published Miscellanea vere utilia, a collection of chemical and medical observations." (Oxford DNB).
ESTC T122808.
HBS 69203.
$2,500.
Price: $2,500.00
Item #69203