Lot 228
Royal Mathematical School - John Dray
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs
Auction: 5 September 2007 at 12:00 BST
Description
Manuscript copy of The Elements of navigation by John Robertson copied by John Dray. c. 1756. 4to., 417 p., illustrations (some hand coloured) , diagrams, with 16 drawings (including folding), contemporary cloth, splits in plates to face p.,47, 186 & 306, small patch of worming in lower margin, possibly lacking a frontispiece and drawings between 163 and 164, 311and 312.
Footnote
Note: A beautifully handwritten manuscript copy by John Dray a pupil at Christ's Hospital. John Lucy Dray, who was born in 1742, was clothed (admitted) to Christ's Hospital in April 1751. On leaving, he was "taken & discharged from the charge of the Hospital forever by Captain John Bladen Tinker, Commander of His Majesties Ship Dover, with whom he is to serve seven years. Christ’s Hospital was founded in 1552. as a result of the vision of King Edward VI, assisted by Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London, and Sir Richard Dobbs, Lord Mayor of London. Christ's Hospital was bestowed with its second Royal Charter by Charles II in 1673. This charter specifically created the Royal Mathematical School whose original purpose was to train mathematicians and navigators who would progress into careers as Naval officers or merchant seafarers. Samuel Pepys, Secretary to His Majesty's Navy and from 1699 Vice President of Christ's Hospital, featured strongly in his considerable contribution to Christ's Hospital. Isaac Newton, John Flamsteed, Edmund Halley and Jonas More contributed to plans for the course of study of the new school within the Foundation. One of the tasks set to pupils at the final stage of their time in the School was copying Robertson's book. The drawings are accomplished and excuted with considerable style. The School has about half a dozen surviving copies though mostly from the later half of the 18th century.