The Rise, Decline and Fall of The Roman Religion
London: The Religious Evolution Research Society, 1925. First U.K. Edition. Octavo. 22.5cm. Publisher's dark red cloth titled in gilt and ruled in blind. 256pp. Solid and handsome, some light bumping to spine ends and a touch of light wear to the corners, some mild dustyness in places; internally clean and fresh, ink ownership to lightly toned endpapers, some pages unopened, illustrated throughout. A very good, smart, copy.
A scholarly, if slightly eccentric, work on ancient Roman religions produced by an enthusiastic Scottish amateur whose main skill was as a rather entrepreneurial chemist specializing in the formulation of commercial dyes. Towards the end of the 19th century he attracted some excited attention by being one of the earliest people to come up with a process for synthesizing diamonds. A wealthy eccentric, he did much of his research and a writing from a rather imposing Scottish castle which he had purchased after founding a highly successful chemical business in Hamburg. An example of a kind of 19th century renaissance man of means who flitted from special interest to special interest, always leaving them somewhat changed for the experience.
Price: $95.00