Commonplace Book.  Small quarto commonplace book in well wor...

Hammer

£850

Commonplace Book.  Small quarto commonplace book in well worn vellum covered brds. 144pp, closely written manuscript (in more than one hand) in Latin & English. Includes chemical references incl. tests for gold, along with much philosophy, theological quotes, language & grammar, literary & legal comment, a reference to Mrs Foster of Witney. Probably late 17th cent. (references to Prince of Orange, Robertson`s Lexicon, Burnet`s  de Resurrection etc). With a late 19th/early 20th cent. manuscript note reading "Note on the left hand page a gold test. This book was taken to Ballaratt, Australia upon the discovery of gold by ... Snowdon of 161 High Street, Redcar, the same man sent home the brooch with Ballaratt gold". The name W.S. Snowdons is recorded as a signatory to the 1853 Bendigo Goldfields petition.  Presumably the book was taken to Australia because of its reference to testing for gold?