Of Gardens; Four Books, First Written in Latine Verse by Renatus Rapinus and now made English by J. E.

London: Thomas Collins, 1672. First Edition in English, First Issue. Very Good. Small 8vo; 6 1/2 x 4 1/8 inches (165 x 104 mm); [40], 237 [1] pp., with the errata at the beginning of the table of contents, table misbound after dedication, C1 with tear to lower margin, not affecting text, some light marginal browning. Etched garland and cornucopia arms of Lord Arlington on both title and dedicatory page. Later brown calf binding, decorative blind stamp on covers, title in gilt on spine; trimmed, marbled edges; stamp of the Maynard and Outram Smith Library on f.e.p. and previous owner's signature dated 1770 at head of dedication page. Internally clean and bright with consistent toning on the edges; spine a little faded and light rubbing to spine ends and corners; firmly bound.

Provenance: Tho. Boston Alnwick 1770 (ink inscription).

[Keynes 181; ESTC 006089128]. John Evelyn the Younger's first book, RARE FIRST ISSUE with title date 1672. We can trace no example of this issue for sale and only 6 copies listed on ESTC. Keynes states seeing the TABLE (with errata relating to page numbering) in only the ULC copy. [Keynes, Geoffrey.  John Evelyn: a study in bibliophily with a bibliography of his writings. Oxford; London: Clarendon Press, 1968]

René Rapin (1621 - 1687) was an erudite French Jesuit who taught rhetoric and was knows as the "Second Theocritus". He wrote extensively on the classical Greek and Latin authors as well as on theological issues linked to Jansenism, a controversial movement within Catholicism, primarily active in France.
John Evelyn the Younger (1655 - 1699) was the third son of John Evelyn, the famed writer, diarist, bibliophile and horticulturalist. Through his father's influence he moved in the influential court circles of the Restoration period and held some posts at the treasury. He was also a poet and a translator from both Latin and French.