BROTHERS, Richard. A Collection of Pamphlets, in one volume by Brothers unless otherwise stated: i) A Revealed Knowledge, of the Prophecies & Times. Book the First. Wrote under the direction of the Lord God, and published by his Sacred Command: it being the first sign of warning for the benefit of all nations. Containing, with other great and remarkable things, not revealed to any other person on Earth, the restoration of the Hebrews to Jerusalem, by the year of 1798: under their revealed Prince and Prophet. Printed in the Year of Christ, (Sold at G. Riebau's). 1794 - 96
68pp, engr. portrait frontispiece. 8vo. 1794. ESTC T135447, not noting a frontispiece, but this may well be transposed from v) below. ii) A Revealed Knowledge, of the Prophecies & Times. Book the Second. Printed in the Year of Christ. v, [1], 7-63, [1], 69-106pp. Pages 37-38 supplied in neat pen & ink facsimile in a 19th century hand, pages also correctly renumbered in manuscript. 8vo. 1794. This 106pp issue does not appear to be recorded in ESTC. iii) An Exposition of the Trinity: with a further elucidation of the twelfth chapter of Daniel; one letter to the King, and two to Mr Pitt, &c. By Richard Brothers. Printed for G. Riebau. [4], 57, [1]p. 8vo. Possibly lacking an errata slip. [1796] ESTC N2810; 2 copies only, Union Theological Seminary, and Missouri. iv) BRYAN, William. A Testimony of the Spirit of Truth, concerning Richard Brothers ... with some account of the manner of the Lord's gracious dealing with his servant William Bryan. n.p. [2], ii, 39, [1]p. 8vo. 1795. ESTC T49999. v) HALHED, Nathaniel Brassey. A Calculation on the Commencement of the Millennium, with observations on the pamphlets entitled 'Sound Argument, dictated by Common Sense,' and the 'Age of Credulity.' Together with a speech, delivered in the House of Commons, March 31, 1795, respecting the confinement of Brothers the Prophet, by Nathaniel Brassey Halhed, M.P. To which is added an original letter written by Brothers, in 1790, to P. Stephens, Esq., and also a paper, pointing out those parts of Brother's prophecies that have already been fulfilled. Printed for B. Crosby. 60pp, half title. 8vo. Without frontispiece portrait, but see note to i) above . 1795. ESTC T19828. The fourth edition, as stated on half title. vi) HALHED, Nathaniel Brassey. Testimony of the Authenticity of the Prophecies of Richard Brothers, and of his mission to recall the Jews. Second edition. Printed for H.D. Symonds. iv, 40pp. 8vo. 1795. ESTC T49998. vii) Debate in the French Convention, 15th Feb 1795 (From the Courier, 11th March). Observations on a Treaty of Peace with the German Empire, by Giraud, Deputy from the Lower Charente. 8pp. 8vo. [1795] Unrecorded in ESTC. viii) Extracts from the Prophecy given to C. Love, who was put to death in London, in 1651. 8pp. 8vo. [1794] ESTC T33917. ix) Notes, on the Etymology of a Few Antique Words. By Mr Brothers. Printed for G. Riebau. 8pp. 8vo. 1796. ESTC T177981, 5 copies; BL, John Rylands, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Yale. x) A Corroborating Proof from the Holy Scriptures, of the Truth of the Chronology of the World, as given by Revelation to Richard Brothers ... to which are added three calculations of the different generations and epochs. Printed for and sold by G. Riebau. [8]pp. 8vo. 1795. ESTC T185382; 7 copies. xi) A Letter of Richard Brothers, (Prince of the Hebrews) to Philip Stephens, Esq. with the Answer. A copious index to both parts of Mr Brother's prophecies. And also a table of texts of scripture quoted. With an account of the prophecies fulfilled. Printed for G. Riebau. 22pp. 8vo. 1795. Two issues are recorded by ESTC, but this does not match either of them. Signature A is signed only on A2, and the final line of p.9 reads 'of the Empress of Russia'. Eleven items in 1 vol. Some foxing & light browning to a few leaves, offsetting from some pages of text. With an early 19th century contents list on inner pastedown, several pages of related notes, numbering & pen strokes to some margins. Contemporary half calf, marbled boards, red gilt spine label; joints cracked, head & tail of spine & corners worn.
¶Richard Brothers, 1757-1824, was the originator of the religious philosophy of philosemitism. He arrived in England in 1787, believing it to be the New Israel, and home of the lost tribe that would be found just prior to the end of the world. He pronounced that many leading Englishmen were 'hidden Jews', including Prime Minister William Pitt, whom he greatly admired at the time, and he proclaimed that the time had come for these hidden Jews to gather together in Palestine, in preparation for the second coming. God had entrusted him with this mission, and in 1789 he refused to take the Oath of Allegiance to George III, believing it blasphemous to recognise the King as a Sovereign Lord. For this he lost his position in the Royal Navy, and destitute was forced into the workhouse for three years where he began to experience revelations and visions, from which he deduced that the world would come to a violent end. He also predicted the deaths of King Gustave III of Sweden and Louis XVI of France, both of whom died violently. Through the printing and distribution of pamphlets, Brothers' views soon became widespread and, in a time of war, poor harvests, and expensive food, quickly gained popularity. The government and monarchy were well aware of this, for Brothers' wrote regularly, but he was largely ignored, causing him to remove Pitt's name from the list of those to be saved on the day of judgment. However, they could ignore him no longer when the destruction of London was predicted on June 4 1795 (the King's official birthday). King George III would hand his crown over to Brothers. Brothers and his followers would then make their triumphant way to Palestine, where Brothers would rule until the Coming of Christ. He even had a flag designed. Brothers was arrested, charged with treason, committed to Newgate and then to Islington Asylum until Pitt's death in 1806.
Stock #48617
£1500
46, Great Russell Street - (opp. British Museum) - Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3PA
