John Dunton [ed.]; The Athenian Society — The Young-Students-Library, Containing Extracts and Abridgements of the Most Valuable Books Printed in England, and in the Foreign Journals

London, John Dunton, 1692 . First edition. Leather. A smart example of the very scarce first edition of this educational anthology of seventeenth century works, retaining the desirable engraved frontispiece. A very scarce first edition.Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece by F.H. van Hove.Edited by the bookseller and publisher John Dunton, this is an eclectic anthology intended as an educational resource for students receiving a moral or classical education. The volume gathers short treatises, essays, dialogues, and discourses designed to instil knowledge in its youthful audience.Topics range from theology and philosophy to manners, history, and natural science. Many of the entries are abridged to be accessible to young readers.With individual title page for second part.With errors in pagination - as called for - throughout: pages 70, 71, 153 misprinted 66, 67, 159; page numbers 288-289 repeated; page numbers 317-320 omitted.ESTC R35551A2, a, [a]-[d]2, [e], A-3U2, [1], 4A-7D2. Collated, complete.With an index to the rear.Front free endpaper removed.Among the works included are: 'The Art of Navigation' by Deschalles; 'Micrographia' by R. Hook, and 'A Discourse of the Holy Eucharist&apos. In a full panelled calf binding. Rubbing to back strip tail, with small loss of calf to back strip head. Half of spine label removed. Joints starting, with boards firmly held. Front free endpaper removed. A touch of worming to tail of gutter of front pastedown and first two blanks. Internally, firmly bound. Closed tear to tail of 2G. Pages lightly age toned, but generally clean, with only the odd spot or handling mark. Worming to tail of each index leaf, with some words of text obscured. Good . Ill.: F.H. van Hove. Good .