Robert Harford, 3 works in one vol. pub. or written by him, 1678-1680

HARFORD, ROBERT

Three works published or written by Harford in one volume, comprising:

i. Gaya, Louis de. The art of war, and the way that it is at present practised in France. London: Harford, 1678, 2 parts in one, licence leaf, engraved frontispiece, 7 folding plates (5 engraved, 2 printed), issued without "fight of foote against foote" plate (as sometimes the case - see ESTC)

ii. La Fontaine, sieur de. The military duties of the officers of cavalry, containing the way of exercising the horse. London: Harford, 1678, licence leaf, 2 folding engraved plates

iii. [Harford, Robert] English military discipline. Or, The way and method of exercising horse & foot. London: Harford, 1680, 18 engraved plates

together 3 works in one volume, 8vo (158 x 94mm.), contemporary calf, slightly rubbed

English military discipline is without the frontispiece of Mars that is usually present in this work, but which is the same as that in the first work by Gaya. Although it has the full complement of plates, the plate "Armature of a pike man on his guard" found in other copies of this work is not present here (compare with other copies in this collection). The military duties of the officers of cavalry is also without a frontispiece which is present in other copies of the work (though not in another copy in this collection). It appears that the composition of plates between copies seems to vary in works published by Harford.

LITERATURE:

ESTC R23334; R32445; R9992

PROVENANCE:

Skene Library (Aberdeenshire), bookplate; Thomas Francis Fremantle, bookplate