1755 Authentic Memoirs of the Life of Richard Mead

Description

First Edition

Very scarce, not seen at auction for ten years. This biographical work has been attributed to Dr Matthew Maty. Maty was a Dutch physician and author of a Huguenot background. He migrated to England and became the second principal librarian of the British Museum. Maty created this work as an expansion of a memoir in 'Journal Britannique'. Loosely inserted is a a contemporary printed entry of Meade's obituary. It celebrates his achievement as 'physician in ordinary to his majesty, fellow of the royal college of physicians, and of the royal society'. Richard Meade is best known for his work 'A Short Discourse concerning Pestilential Contagion' which was of great historic importance in understanding transmissible diseases. This particular copy is without the portrait frontispiece. With an trimmed, contemporary printing of the frontispiece loosely inserted. Prior owner's inscription to the title page, J Hetherington. Gift inscription to the rear pastedown. ESTC reference no: T1336. A very scarce memoir of this important figure.