New England mourns a slave trader

Henry Caner

The Nature & Necessity, of an Habitual Preparation for Death & Judgment. A sermon preach'd at King's-Chapel in Boston, November 21st. 1758. Upon occasion of the death of Charles Apthorp, Esq [Half title: Mr. Caner's Sermon Occasion'd by the Death of Charles Apthorp, Esq.]

Boston: John Draper, 1758. Very Good. Item #25680

Boston: John Draper, [1758]. First Edition. Octavo (20.5cm.); later stiff black wrappers; 24pp. (A-C4, including half title); woodcut vignette at head of p. [5]. Slightly ex-New Haven Colony Historical Society with their pressure stamps to first three leaves including upper cover, upper cover additionally creased, else a Very Good, internally fresh and sound copy.

Extraordinarily incongruous eulogy delivered upon the sudden death of Charles Apthorp (1695-1758), who had accrued his vast fortune in the slave trade. Nevertheless, Caner opines upon the death of his parishioner, "The loss indeed is our's, who could very ill have spared so eminently useful and exemplary a member of society," going on to expound that "While he was with us, he was a lively example of many excellent virtues...He studied as the Apostle advises, to be quiet, and to mind his own business, and left others to the management of theirs" (pp. 17-8).

Though no mention of Apthorp's life work is made, Caner obliquely mentions that "If any one is curious after [Apthorp's] imperfections (from which no merely humane example is entirely free), let them be covered by the veil of humanity and love" (p. 22).

Published at the request of Apthorp's family, this sermon quite uncommon both institutionally and in the trade, with none for sale as of February, 2023, and just two appearing at auction since 1978, the latter example this copy.

ESTC 28660; EVANS 8099.

Price: $750.00