The Trial of Virtue A Sacred Poem; Being a Paraphrase of the Whole Book of Job, and Designed as an Explanatory Comment Upon the Divine Original, Interspersed with Critical Notes upon a Variety of its Passages . . . to which is Annexed, a Dissertation upon the Book of Job.
Hartford: Printed by Lincoln and Gleason, 1806. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. A Very Good copy of the first edition, first printing in book form by Chauncey Lee who was a Church Pastor and of whom McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia states: "Lee, Chauncey D.D., a Congregational minister, was born at Salisbury, Conn., 1763; graduated at Yale College ill 1784; entered the ministry June 3, 1789; and was ordained pastor in Sunderland, Vt., March 18, 1790, where he remained a few years, and in Jan., 1800, became pastor in Colebrook, Conn. 'This connection he dissolved in 1827, to become pastor at Marlborough,Conn. Nov. 18,1828, which place he held until Jan. 11. 1837. He died in Hartwick, N. Y., Dec., 1842. Lee published the American Accomptant: an Arithmetic (1797): — The Trial of Virtue: a metrical Version of the Book of Job (1807): — Sermons especially designed for Revivals (12mo, 1824): — Letters from Aristarchus to Philemon (1833); and two or three occasional sermons. — Sprague, Annals, 2:288." The book is printed on laid paper. In this work, Lee attempts to bring the story of Job to a wider audience and by doing so divert them from the perils of the Romantics; he notes in his Preface that “should the attention of our youth generally, be diverted from the sorrows of Werter, to the SORROWS OF JOB, it is confidently believed, they would realize a subject of more rational entertainment—a source of more solid and useful instruction, and the example of a character, more worthy of their esteem and imitation.” Within the volume one finds the ownership inscription of John W. Salter dated 1832 on the front free endpaper, with Salter’s attractive 1840s typographic bookplate on the front pastedown and a slightly later bookplate for E. Turner above that, as well as light persistent foxing throughout; some cracking to the front joint -- which which joint remains sound, as well as some light rubbing and wear; an altogether very good and sound copy. [Stoddard & Whitesell 820; Wegelin 1033; American Imprints 10710.]. Very Good. Item #3445
Price: $225.00