[Rarebooks] FS: Beginnings of the Massachusetts Historical Society

[Steve Hanly]

We are pleased to offer:

Massachusetts Historical Society.   THE ACTS OF INCORPORATION, THE LAWS
AND THE CIRCULAR LETTER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY.  WITH
AN APPENDIX.   Boston: Printed at the Apollo Press...by Joseph
Belknap...  1794.  14 pp.   String-tied; never bound nor trimmed.
Printed blue-gray wrappers present but well worn and eroded at the
spine.  Occasional spots of foxing but generally very good.

Formed in 1791 under the leadership of Jeremy Belknap, the Massachusetts
Historical Society was not incorporated until 1794.  In addition to
containing the Society's organizing documents, this pamphlet has an
Appendix listing the types of material wanted for the Society's
collections.  It also includes several articles on preserving various
types of specimens, e.g., animals, birds, vegetables.  The inside of the
front wrapper lists the current officers of the Society while the inside
of the rear wrapper lists the corresponding members of the Society (Ezra
Stiles in Connecticut, John Jay and Noah Webster in New York, etc.).
Name of  "Wm. Jenks" on the front wrapper, quite possibly the William
Jenks who was a pioneer in religious work among seamen.  Jenks was
elected to the MHS in 1821 and served as its librarian from 1823 to
1832.  An important pamphlet from one of America's earliest historical
societies.  Evans: 27296.  Sabin: 45850.    [Item no. 2696.]   $450.00.

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