Some Books just look old, really old and really used, it could be a genre of its own. Sometimes it can tell us a lot about the book, how it was read, even how it was marketed and sold. Today’s book, was definitely one of those books. With out a doubt the name of Aristotle carries an air of authority and even a staidness about it. This book has neither of these, if one reads a little further in the title past Aristotle’s Master-piece: It becomes quickly apparent this book is going to be fun!
This book is a “how-to” ( though mostly un reliable) Very necessary for all midwives, nurses and young-married-women. This book was made cheaply and probably in great number, yet it is quit Rare now, Most copies were probably read and used (for practical purposes as well as, and more likely Entertainment ) to the point where they fell apart. No doubt other copies were destroyed/censored ,hid and lost.
This copy is hard used yet it survives mostly intact. It is a wonderful read and in ‘un-spohisticated’ condition’
904F Possibly by Salmon, William. 1644-1713
Aristotle’s master-piece: or the secrets of generation display’d in all the parts thereof; Containing 1. The Signs of Barrenness. 2. The way of getting a Boy or Girl. 3. Of the likeness of Children to Parents. 4. Of the Infusion of the Soul into the Infant. 5. Of monstrous Births and the Reasons thereof. 6. Of the benefit of Marriage to both Sexes. 7. The Prejudice of unequal Matches. 8. The discovery of Insufficiency. 9. The cause and cure of the Green-Sickness. 10 A Discourse of Virginity. 11. How a Midwife ought to be qualified. 12. Directions and Cantions to Midwives. 13. Of the Organs of Generation in Women. 14. The Fabrick of the Womb. 15 The use and action of the Genitals. 16. Signs of Conception, and whether of a Male or Female, 17. To discover false Conception. 18. Instructions for Women with Child. 19. For preventing Miscarriage 20. For Women in Childbed, 21. Of ordering new-born Infants; and many other very useful Particulars, To which is added, A word of Advice to both Sexes in the Act of Copulation, and the Pictures of several Monstrens Births. Very necessary for all midwives, nurses and young-married-women.
London : printed for W.B. and to be sold by most booksellers in London and Westminster, 1704. $1,800
Duodeciom, 134X85 cm. A1-G12 H9 (lacking final three leaves) This copy is bound in its original full sheep binding, The top portion of the leather spine has been lost exposing the rather cheap and utilitarian sewing structure, some of the signatures are creeping out of the sewing, the corners are rounding,
This is a book which has expirenced heavy use. Originally published in 1684, this extremely popular work on generation and sexual reproduction was still being printed well into the 19th century. Despite it’s popularity or because of it it turns out that all early editions are rare, and there are very few pre 1741 editions in this country.
English Short Title Catalog, T83424.
And
| ESTC System No. | 006051492 |
| ESTC Citation No. | N5714 |
| Publisher/year |  London : printed for W. B. & to be sold by most booksellers in London and Westminster, 1704. |
| Physical descr. | [8],135,[1]p. : ill. ; 12⁰. |
| General note | Not in fact by Aristotle; the attribution is spurious. |
| Uncontrolled note | ill. = frontis. |
| Added name | Aristotle. |
| Copies – N.America | Ohio State University |
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