Beschreibung:

LINTON, Anthony (fl.1609). Newes of the complement of the art of navigation . London: Felix Kyngston, 1609.
LINTON, Anthony (fl.1609). Newes of the complement of the art of navigation . London: Felix Kyngston, 1609. The first edition of this rare and important work . According to ABPC only one other copy has appeared at auction in the last 35 years (Christie’s London, 30 May 1984, lot 159). Linton was chaplain to Charles, Lord Howard of Effingham, who served as High Admiral from 1585-1618. He includes summaries of various works on the art of navigation, including discussions of Drake, Gilbert, and “Sir Thomas Candish” (i.e. Cavendish). He also discusses Edward Wright’s critique of Plancius’ world map, which failed to document Drake’s discovery and English claim on New Albion (i.e. present-day California). Linton “wrote a curious little treatise on the importance of navigation to England, of ways and means of finding a passage ‘to Cathay’, and of navigational problems. If he was a charlatan there is at least a sincerity of expression in many parts of his book that shows that he did have the country’s nautical interests at heart … he pointed out that in navigation position-finding was still imperfect” (D.W. Waters, The Art of Navigation in England in Elizabethan and Early Stuart Times , p.274). Church 343; JCB II, 63; Sabin 41385 (never having seen a copy). Small quarto (185 x 135 mm). Title-page and text printed within double-rule border. (A few leaves at the beginning and end frayed with minor loss to lower corner, dampstained.) Contemporary limp vellum (some staining and wear); blue half morocco folding case. Provenance : Bruce McKinney (bookplate; his sale, Bloomsbury, 3 December 2009, lot 64).