Marmor Norfolciense

or an Essay on an Ancient Prophetical Inscription, In Monkish Rhyme, Lately Discover’d near Lynn in Norfolk.

London: Printed for J. Brett.. 1739.

First edition. 8vo in 4s. 200x125mm. Pp. [5], 6-55, [1bl].

Bound with:
SMITH. W. The Freemason’s Pocket Companion.
London: Printed for John Torbuck. 1736. Pp. [6], 116. With engraved frontispiece.
And:
[CLARKE, Alured]. An Essay Towards the Character of Her late Majesty Caroline, Queen Consort of Great Britain. Second edition.
London: Printed for J. and P. Knapton. 1738. Pp. [4], 46.

Three works in one volume. Original blue-grey paper covered boards, backed in tan calf, spine lettered in gilt “Tract Var”. Spine a little rubbed and a tear and two small worm holes to foot of spine. Internally very good although with some staining to half-title of Marmor Norfolciense and some foxing and marking elsewhere. Front pastedown has the armorial book plate of John Ward whose initials are on the preliminary leaves of each work. Housed in a modern cloth covered box. An excellent copy of this “exceedingly scarce” satirical attack on the Walpolean-Hannoverian hegemony. Written pseudonymously, this is one of Samuel Johnson’s earliest published works. It tells of the finding of a large, antique stone (the Norfolk Marble of the title) inscribed with a cryptic prophecy which is then decoded to reveal contemporary political truths. Marmor Norfolciense established Johnson as a political writer with Jacobite sympathies and a Swiftian bite. Boswell, in his Life (see item 76) describes the work thus:
“In this performance, he, in a feigned inscription, supposed to have been found in Norfolk, the county of Sir Robert Walpole, then the obnoxious prime minister of this country, inveighs against the Brunswick [i.e. Hannoverian] succession, and the measures of government consequent upon it. To this supposed prophecy he added a Commentary, making each expression apply to the times, with warm Anti-Hanoverian zeal.”
“This anonymous pamphlet, I believe, did not make so much noise as was expected, and, therefore, had not a very extensive circulation. Sir John Hawkins relates that, 'warrants were issued, and messengers employed to apprehend the authour; who, though he had forborne to subscribe his name to the pamphlet, the vigilance of those in pursuit of him had discovered;' and we are informed, that he lay concealed in Lambeth-marsh till the scent after him grew cold. This, however, is altogether without foundation; for Mr. Steele, one of the Secretaries of the Treasury, who amidst a variety of important business, politely obliged me with his attention to my inquiry, informed me, that 'he directed every possible search to be made in the records of the Treasury and Secretary of State's Office, but could find no trace whatever of any warrant having been issued to apprehend the authour of this pamphlet.' Marmor Norfolciense became exceedingly scarce, so that I, for many years, endeavoured in vain to procure a copy of it”.
Marmor Norfolciense was often bound with the pamphlet on Queen Caroline, the late consort of George II and one of the preliminary blank leaves is inscribed, in a contemporary hand, “Ye Contents Page” listing these two pamphlets. The other work in this volume is a rare work on free masonry. Although this has no obvious link to the two pamphlets on Hannoverian subjects, it was clearly important for the owner of this book, John Ward, 1st Viscount Dudley and Ward (1704-74) who was the Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England between 1742 and 1744.