1600-1754: The Arts: Publications

A Catalogue of Curious and Valuable Books, Belonging to the Late Reverend & Learned Mr. Ebenezer Pemberton, Consisting of Divinity, Philosophy, History, Poetry, & Generally Well Bound (Boston: Printed by B. Green, 1717)—the first catalogue for a book auction in the American colonies; this and other such catalogues are valuable tools for scholars of colonial literary tastes;

Joshua Gee, Catalogus Librorum Bibliothecœ Collegij Harvardini Quad Est Cantabriglœ in NovaAnglia (Boston: Printed by B. Green, 1723)—the first catalogue of a college library printed in America;

John Hancock, Continuatio Supplementi Catalogi Librorum Bibliothecœ Collegij Harvardini, Quad Est Cantabrigœ in Nova Anglia (Boston: Printed by B. Green, 1725)—the first supplement to the catalogue of the Harvard College Library printed in 1723;

The Library of the Late Reverend and learned Mr. Samuel Lee... Exposed... to Sale, by Duncan Campbell (Boston: Printed by Benjamin Harris for Duncan Campbell, 1693)—probably the first catalogue for the sale of an American library;

Increase Mather, The Life and Death of the Reverend Man of Gos, Mr. Richard Mather, Teacher of the Church in Dorchester in New-England (Cambridge, Mass.: Printed by S. G. & M. J., 1670)—a son’s biography of one of the authors of The Bay Psalm Book and the founder of the Mather family in America; like most Purtian biographies, this one focuses more on its subject’s spiritual development than on the events of his life.