The Voice of the Lord, from the Deep Places of the Earth. A Sermon Preach'd on the Thursday-lecture in Boston, in the Audience of the General Court, at the Opening of the Sessions, Nov. 23, 1727. Three Weeks After the Earthquake
Boston: S. Gerrish, 1727. Very Good. Item #25403
Boston: S. Gerrish, at the lower end of Cornhill, 1727. First Edition. Small octavo (19cm.); 19th century calf over marbled boards, gilt-lettered spine; 52pp. (A-G4). Light shelf wear, marbled boards a bit toned at extremities, bound without half title page, later (1849) ownership signature of a Samuel Chase, Boston, to front flyleaf, 20th century ownership rubberstamp to front pastedown, textblock a bit toned with occasional spotting, else a Very Good, sound copy overall.
Sermon by an acolyte of Cotton Mather's delivered shortly after a substantial earthquake hit the city of Boston and its environs. Thomas Foxcroft (1697-1769) would deliver a series of such sermons throughout his career, equating scientific phenomena with God's will.
The description of the night in question is provided here in a lengthy footnote on p. 5: "It was on the Night after the Lord's Day (Octob. 29.) a little more than half an hour past Ten, that the first and great Shake was felt:--when the Heavens were most serene, the Atmosphere in a perfect Calm, and there had been no generally observed Presages of any such Event. Some say, Before they were sensible of the Shock, they saw Flashes of Light glance by their Windows, and others observ'd their Dogs give a sudden bark, as when affrighted. But before any cou'd look about them, to know the meaning of these things, they heard first a gentle Murmur, like a small ruffling Wind, and then a more noisy Rumbling, as a Thunder at some Distance: which seem'd to approach nigher, and grew louder, till it roared terribly; and then we felt our Houses totter and reel, with the tremulous Motion and Heaving of the Earth, as if they wou'd tumble down into Ruins."
ESTC W2453; EVANS 2874; SABIN 25408.
Price: $750.00