Emblem book. 1778 The School of the Heart... in 47 emblems, Christopher Harvey.

A richly illustrated emblem book, complete with its frontis (often missing), and forty-seven other historic emblems illustrating biblical "heart" concepts. The emblems are wonderfully executed, after those in the Schola Cordis, by Benedictus van Haeften (1635). Christopher Harvey adapted the work into English, and the text here is his.

If you'd like to preview the work in full, the UIUC Library hosts a digitized copy.

Full Title -

The School of the Heart, Of Itself Gone Away from God, Brought Back Again to Him, and Instructed by Him. In Forty-Seven Emblems. By the Author of the Synagogue, Annexed to Herbert's Poems. Whereunto is Added, The Learning of the Heart, By the Same Hand.

About the Work -

Harvey was the author of The Synagogue, a series of devotional poems appended anonymously to the 1640 edition of George Herbert's The Temple, and reprinted with most of its later editions. The Synagogue is a derivative imitation of Herbert.

In 1647 Harvey issued anonymously Schola Cordis, or the Heart of it Selfe gone away from God; brought back againe to him; and instructed by him. In 47 Emblems. The volume has on the title-page "By the Author of the Synagogue". The emblems were adapted from Benedictus van Haeften's Schola Cordis. This work was a free adaptation, with the engravings made freshly and reversed.

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 17.5 x 11 x 2 cm. Morocco leather spine with five raised cords, five compartments with a central leaf in blind, and one compartment with the title in gilt on black overlay. Marbled paper covers the boards. Pages - (2), frontis, title, 1/2 title, iv, contents leaf, 5-154, one leaf of a psalm from a different book, [8], (2). The odd pagination starting at five matches the UIUC copy.

ESTC - N36279, OCLC - 81317515

Condition -

See pictures. Vintage patina, with the pleasing look of history. Some cockling (waviness) to vellum binding with discoloration, thumbing, soiling, etc.. Faded manuscript shelf number at bottom of spine. Top edge a little darker from dust. A number of book seller marks and some ex libris (cancelled) marks on the pastedown and flyleaf. Also, severa pen marks, and an ex libris struck through on the title page, no text affected. Some toning throughout. Some marks and annotations, in an old hand. Intermittent moisture mark at page edges, no text affected except at rear index it does begin to intrude on text. Occasional dog-eared page and spot. Some thumbing. A long, cancelled, manuscript note at the conclusion of the work (last leaf). Rear flyleaf missing, more marks on rear pastedown.