[Rarebooks] FS: Seecombe's "Business and Diversion inoffensive to God" (fishing)

[Powers Rare Books]

I can offer...

      [FISHING]  SECOMBE (or SEECOMBE), Rev. Joseph.  "Business and 
Diversion inoffensive to God, and necessary for the Comfort and Support 
of human Society.  A Discourse utter'd in Part at Ammauskeeg-Falls, in 
the Fishing-Season.  1739," included in "Miscellaneous Notes and 
Queries.  A Monthly Magazine of History, Folk-lore, Mathematics, 
Mysticism, Art, Science, Etc.", Volume X, No. 2.  Manchester, NH: S. C. 
& L. M. Gould, August, 1892.  8vo, bound in half black leather and 
cloth boards, original wrappers bound in.  viii, 336 pp.  The spine is 
dry and chipping, but internally this is a fine copy.
      Secombe's serrmon on the necessity of diversion as a companion to 
business--considered the first American book on fishing--appears in the 
August issue on pages 192-208.  It was first published in Boston in 
1743 and again in 1747, both of which are extremely rare; the 
Manchester Historic Association reprinted it in their proceedings in 
1908 and it was done in 1971 in a fine press edition, but this serial 
publication might be the first reprinting after the eighteenth-century 
editions.
      Although Secombe doesn't discuss methods of fishing, he was 
addressing a group of fisherman who gathered at the Amoskeag falls to 
engage in that pleasant pastime.  The dedication is to Theodore 
Atkiinson "and others, The Worthy Patrons of the Fishing at 
Ammauskeeg," and closes, "And tho' I know this will be no Bait, I am 
fond of being esteemed, in the Affairs of Fishing, Gentlemen, your most 
Obedient and very humble Servant, Fluviatulis Piscator."

Images:  http://home.comcast.net/~powersrarebooks/Seecombe.htm

$150 plus shipping.

Cheers,
Greg Powers
Powers Rare Books
344 Orange Street
Manchester NH  03104
603-624-9707
powersrarebooks at comcast.net
http://www.powersbks.com
Member: ABAA, ILAB, NHABA