Catchy title!! - Genealogists' Forum

Merry · #1 13-09-12, 18:10

I just found that my 3xg-grandfather, David Maynard, was a contributor to a book entitled:

Retrospect of philosophical, mechanical, chemical, and agricultural discoveries; being an abridgment of the periodical and other publications, English and foreign, relative to arts, chemistry, manufactures, agriculture and natural philosophy; accompanied, occasionally, with remarks on the merits or defects of the respective papers; and in some cases, shewing to what other useful purposes inventions may be directed, and discoveries extended, beyond the original views of their authors.

Vol. VI.

Lindsay · #2 13-09-12, 18:11

Snappy title! And was it a best seller?

Olde Crone · #3 13-09-12, 18:11

O WOW Merry, go on, read us a bit!

*Goes into the garden*

OC

kiterunner · #4 13-09-12, 18:53

Can you imagine going into a book shop and asking for it?

Merry · #5 13-09-12, 18:58

I think I would like to read the previous five volumes too!!!

kiterunner · #6 13-09-12, 19:15

Here's volume VIII:

Google Books

Merry · #7 13-09-12, 19:20

*sticks fingers in ears*

Phoenix · #8 13-09-12, 23:28

If that is the abridged version, what was it like unabridged?

marquette · #9 14-09-12, 00:32

OH's 3xg grandfather, Henry Sanderson was similarly long-winded.
in 1826 he wrote a booklet called
"Considerations on the proposed communication by a navigable canal between the town of Sheffield and the Peak Forest Canal; with remarks and calculations tending to prove the superiority of an Edge-Railway for passing over a mountainous district and a comparative account of the several practicable lines which have hitherto been pointed out. "

The sentences are just as long, making it tedious reading.

Maybe it was just the style of the times to have really long titles ?

Merry · #10 14-09-12, 05:46

Well done for having a go at reading the booklet, marquette!

Quote:

Maybe it was just the style of the times to have really long titles ?

My OH woud say it's the opposite of the dumbing down we seem to be subject to these days!

I just has a look at the transcription I have of David Maynard's memoirs, the first part of which he wrote in 1807. He mentions his agricutural discovery which is later published in that book in 1811. I'm quite glad it only warranted one paragraph!