A FLY IN AMBER, Hope Mirrless. Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, Society of Antiquaries

Description: A FLY IN AMBER HOPE MIRRLEES FABER AND FABER 1962 1st edition. 22 x 14 cm. 395 pp + b/w plates. HB/DJ The 'fly in amber' is Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, Baronet —a gentleman of ancient family and considerable wealth, a courtier and man about town, sometime court antiquary to James I. Sir Robert was an indefatigable collector of manuscripts, rare books and objects of vertu — articles of beauty and of oddity. At first sight, his life might seem to be of interest only to bibliophiles and to such readers as seek to know about the Origins of our great libraries and museums. But Sir Robert knew everybody who was anybody during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I, and in Miss Hope Mirrlees he has found the ideal biographer to make him interesting to a wider public. Miss Mirrlees combines great learning, exact scholarship, infinite curiosity about human beings, a keen sense of humour and a delightful style. The result is a book, as readable as any gossip column, but invaluable to the student of the society of that age. We meet Cecils and Howards, and many lesser names of importance in their day; we read of Dr. John Donne and other men of letters. We come into touch with high politics as well as intrigue and scandal. So besides relating the life of a very engaging personality this book makes us acquainted with the society of two reigns. We cannot think of any book to which to liken A Fly in Amber. We hope that Miss Mirrlees will give us another to match it. A FLY IN AMBER HOPE MIRRLEES FABER AND FABER 1962 First edition. The 'fly in amber' is Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, Baronet —a gentleman of ancient family and considerable wealth, a courtier and man about town, sometime court antiquary to James I. Sir Robert was an indefatigable collector of manuscripts, rare books and objects of vertu — articles of beauty and of oddity. At first sight, his life might seem to be of interest only to bibliophiles and to such readers as seek to know about the Origins of our great libraries and museums. But Sir Robert knew everybody who was anybody during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I, and in Miss Hope Mirrlees he has found the ideal biographer to make him interesting to a wider public. Miss Mirrlees combines great learning, exact scholarship, infinite curiosity about human beings, a keen sense of humour and a delightful style. The result is a book, as readable as any gossip column, but invaluable to the student of the society of that age. We meet Cecils and Howards, and many lesser names of importance in their day; we read of Dr. John Donne and other men of letters. We come into touch with high politics as well as intrigue and scandal. So besides relating the life of a very engaging personality this book makes us acquainted with the society of two reigns. We cannot think of any book to which to liken A Fly in Amber. We hope that Miss Mirrlees will give us another to match it. 22 x 14 cm. 395 pp + b/w plates. Good condition. Dust jacket lightly soiled and worn (now in protective cover). Mild foxing to the page edges. Gift inscription on the front free endpaper, some annotations and underlining in pencil to the early part of the book. Images sell! Get Supersized Images & Free Image Hosting Attention Sellers - Get Templates Image Hosting, Scheduling at Auctiva.com.

Price: 47.99 GBP

Location: Carlisle

End Time: 2024-12-04T12:01:39.000Z

Shipping Cost: 16.41 GBP