Lot 262
Wilkins, John
Mercury, or the Secret and Swift Messenger
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs
Auction: 30 September 2020 at 11:00 BST
£450
Description
London: R. Baldwin, 1694. 12mo [xiv, 172, 4 (adverts)], Second edition, engraved portrait, woodcuts in text, contemporary calf, some browning, rebacked, [Toole Stott 732]
Footnote
Provenance: From the collection of the Late Trevor Dawson
Note: "One of the earliest books in the English language dealing with the secret conveyance of information such as codes, cryptograms, signs and other methods later used for so-called "thought reading" acts". (Toole Stott)