[John Smith] | The Doctrine of Christianity, as Held by the People called Quakers

[John Smith]

The Doctrine of Christianity, as Held by the People called Quakers, Vindicated: in Answer to Gilbert Tennent's Sermon on the Lawfulness of War. Philadelphia: Printed by Benjamin Franklin, and David Hall, MDCCCXLVIII (1748)

8vo (181 x 120 mm). Light toning, occasional pale spotting or minor soiling, a tiny marginal hole in leaf A2, leaf C3 trimmed at the fore-edge not affecting the text, the final ten leaves of text with crude paper repairs in the upper margins occasionally affecting the first word in the top line of printed text, leaf H4 rebound on a stub. Modern half gray cloth, gilt-titled spine, marbled paper boards.

The first edition of John Smith's defense of Quaker pacifism.

Smith's rebuttal of Gilbert Tennent's anti-Quaker treatise, The Association for Defence Farther Enouraged "was printed by Franklin and Hall, despite the fact that it opposed the Association for Defense to which Franklin was passionately committed" (The Library Company of Philadelphia). Smith had 1000 copies printed, 500 of which were to be given away and the rest sent to the author. When the book was delivered, Smith wrote that "the printer's house & indeed my own was like a fair—people came so thick to get them D. Hall told me that he never saw a pamphlet in so much Request at first coming out" (PPL MS: John Smith Diary, IV; Papers III, pp. 242–243, as quoted in Miller).

A second edition was printed soon after, as well as two further rebuttals directed at Smith, one by Gilbert Tennent and the other by William Currie. For Gilbert Tennent's opening salvo, see preceding lot.

Rare: only two copies of the first edition have appeared at auction since 1907, according to Rare Book Hub.

REFERENCES

Miller 456; ESTC W30916; Evans 6239; Hildeburn 1098; Sabin 82872; The Library Company of Philadelphia, "Plain Truth," exhibition curated by James N. Green and Peter Stallybrass (https://www.librarycompany.org/BFWriter/plain.htm)

PROVANANCE

Anthony Morris (early signature on title-page) — Isaac Morris (early signature on title-page) — C. B. Farwell (bookplate)