End of the year business duties have limited the amount of time I can devote to this blog, and that might continue for another four to six weeks, but I thought that this brief bibliographical entry might help. In Mrs. Eddy's works in Prose Works, one of the rarest separate publications is the following title. I do not know why it is so rare, but it has proven unusually difficult to find a copy in its first edition. Unfortunately I do not have accessible a photographic image to add:
Rudiments and Rules of Divine Science, by Mary Baker G. Eddy. Boston: Published by the Author, 1887.
The November, 1887, Christian Science Journal included the following announcement:
"RUDIMENTS AND RULES OF DIVINE SCIENCE.
THIS is the title of a new pamphlet by Mrs. Eddy, in which she answers many questions in regard to the Science of Christian Healing. It is nearly ready for publication, and will doubtless be out about as soon as this magazine reaches our readers. The pamphlet contains twenty-seven pages, is printed by William Kellaway, and is neatly stitched in thick paper covers."
Note: for the bibliographical record, here is a description of the copyright edition of the 1887 first edition as examined in the Library of Congress (27 pp. plus four pages of advertisements including an advertisement for Unity of Good, listed as “soon to be published”):
Title-Page:
Rudiments and Rules | —OF— | Divine Science. | —BY— | MARY BAKER G. EDDY. | PRESIDENT OF MASSACHUSETTS METAPHYSICAL COLLEGE. | [rule] | PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR, | 571 COLUMBUS AVENUE, | BOSTON. | [rule] 1887.
The book was copyrighted on November 2, 1887. The inside back wrapper is an advertisement for the Massachusetts Metaphysical College.
The copyright page reads “Copyright, | Mary Baker G. Eddy | 1887” and I see no reference to Kellaway Printers (see above).
On a different note, we have not had a trivia question in some time so I thought this quick question might suffice: When did Mrs. Eddy officially authorize a translation of Science and Health into a foreign language?
Thanks for the post. I have undocumented notes on the production of this volume so I can't verify the source(s); perhaps one of your readers might have some feedback. My understanding is that this was produced to address the mode of thinking typified by several prominent professional clergymen who had recently converted to Christian Science in which the metaphysical message was couched somewhat in traditional Christian rhetoric. I also have it that Wiggin helped out, but the revision, Rudimental Divine Science, was done in his absence.
Posted by: Craig Beardsley | 01/18/2011 at 06:07 PM