Acquisition of Books by Chetham's Library, 1655-1700

Matthew Yeo studied Modern History at St Catherine's College, Oxford and at Princeton University. His PhD, completed at the University of Manchester in 2009, was on the acquisition of books by Chetham's Library, Manchester, between 1655 and 1700. He now teaches History at Charterhouse, Surrey.

“an impressive and laudable achievement … Yeo’s book, handsomely produced and elegantly written, is a significant and admirable contribution to his subject. More than 300 years ago, one visitor acclaimed Chetham’s as ‘better than any library in Cambridge’. This study goes a long way towards explaining why he and others were so impressed.”Mark Purcell, National Trust. In: European Review of History, Vol. 20, No. 3 (2013), pp. 504-505."This book covers much more ground than its title would suggest. It provides interesting new perspectives on the book trade during the seventeenth century, and on the relationship of booksellers to libraries." Brandon High, King’s College London. In: CILIP Rare Books and Special Collections Group Newsletter, No. 92, July 2012, pp. 27-78."Reading this book is not just to learn about Chetham’s Library, but also to be called to think about what is important about historic books and libraries, and what we can learn from them by looking from many angles. In summary, therefore: this is an excellent book whose contribution to scholarship goes far beyond the narrative account that its title might be thought to imply. Certainly, it should be of interest to early modernists of many persuasions and should be on the shelves of any library which supports serious study in such fields."David Pearson, City of London. In: Library & Information History, Vol. 28, No. 1 (March 2012), pp. 62-63.

• Figures and IllustrationsTablesPreface and AcknowledgementsAbbreviationsCitations and NamesChapter I: The Foundation of Chetham’s Library‘As for Manchester… there is a fair library of books’The Creation of a Public LibraryIf Books be the Spectacles we see through to all LearningHumphrey Chetham: ‘Manchester’s first great philanthropist’‘There to remaine as a publick Library for ever…’Chetham’s Library and the History of the BookThe Problems of UseChapter II: The Selection of Texts by Chetham’s Library‘By the discretion of the said Richard Johnson…’‘Likely to be a mercy to this place’: Nicholas Stratford as WardenThe Process of Selection‘not ye last but the most Correct Edition.’Preserving the Best Editions AvailableAn Overview of the CollectionThe Choice of Bookseller Chapter III: Robert Littlebury and the Sale of BooksThe Flow of Ideas: from the Thames to AmazonThe London Book Trade in the 1650sRobert Littlebury and the Acquisition of Second-Hand BooksRobert Littlebury and the Latin TradeRobert Littlebury as a PublisherThe Delivery of BooksThe Need to Keep Stock MovingThe Acquisition of ‘Bound Books’ by Chetham’s LibraryThe Impact of the Great Fire of LondonReciprocity in the Book Trade: Littlebury, Holdsworth, Firmin and StratfordThe Transition from London to Manchester‘Mr Littlebury who is our standard for knowing Authors’Chapter IV: The Reception of Theology at Chetham’s LibraryA Useful Theological LibraryForging an Anglican Identity through Patristic textsThe Usefulness of Continental and British TheologyCalvin, Calvinism and Calvinists In Defence of the Church of England: Arminianism and SocinianismThe Shift from Calvinism to Latitudinarianism‘The Wisdom of the East’: HebraicaE Societate Iesu: The Reception of Jesuit Texts‘being very rare to see soe many of these’The Trouble with GiftsUsefulness in Defence of the Church of EnglandChapter V: The Acquisition of Classics, History and LawHealing and Settling the Past: Different Patterns of AcquisitionThe Ars Excerpendi: Classical Texts and Classical Literature‘infinit benefit’: History at Chetham’s LibraryThe Formation of Anglican Identity after the Civil WarLaw Books at Chetham’s LibraryThe Book Trade in the Formation and Distribution of Historical KnowledgeChapter VI: Natural Philosophy and ‘Useful’ TextsThe History of the Book and the History of ScienceThe Relationship between Print and Natural PhilosophyNatural Philosophy from the Outset: Scientific titles 1655-1661Step-by-Step: Science and Religious Moderation, 1661-1700Reciprocity in the Scientific Book TradeThe Problems of Scientific ReceptionScientific Instruments and Differing Forms of Natural PhilosophyScientific Books outside the Stationers’ CompanyScience, Book and Scientific InstrumentConclusion: Reading has a HistoryTowards a History of the Second Hand Book TradePreservation for the FutureBIBLIOGRAPHYIndex