Benjamin Martin — Miscellaneous Correspondence in Prose and Verse

London, Not Stated, c1764 . Leather. A scarce copy of Benjamin Martin's Miscellaneous Correspondence. Bound in calf with gilt lettering. Scarce. With fifteen plates in volume one and eighteen in volume two, including five folding plates. Volume I & II only of three. Part of a thirteen volume set making up The general magazine of arts and sciences, philosophical, philological, mathematical, and mechanical. Originally published between January 1755 and December 1758. Bound without title pages. Benjamin Martin (1704-1782) was a schoolmaster and travelling lecturer who invented several optical instruments. "Martin's most ambitious literary project was The general magazine of arts and sciences, philosophical, philological, mathematical, and mechanical. Designed to be published in about 120 sixpenny monthly numbers, beginning in January 1755, it was extensively advertised in London and provincial newspapers. A combination of a part-work encyclopaedia and a topical periodical, each number consisted of a few pages of five separate main works, with associated copperplates, plus a few pages of topical material, such as births and deaths, and prices of stocks. On completion of the project in 1764 the text and plates were bound into thirteen octavo volumes entitled: The Young Gentleman and Lady's Philosophy, The Natural History of England, A Comprehensive System of Philology, Mathematical Institutions (all 2 vols.), Biographia philosophica (1 vol.), and Miscellaneous Correspondence (4 vols.). Only the last had any resemblance to a periodical: the others were complete works in themselves." - DNB In full calf bindings. Externally, smart. There is some wear to the extremities, including bumping with slight loss to the leather. Internally, firmly bound. The pages are clean and bright with the very occasional spot. There is a closed tear to one of the folding plates in volume two measuring approx. 4.5cm. There are small ink inscriptions on the front pastedowns. Very Good . Ill.: None. Very Good .