A Gathering of Unique and Rare Catechisms by Isaac Watts Bound in a Single Volume

Isaac Watts (1674–1748).
The First Set of Catechisms and Prayers: or, The Religion of Little Children under Seven or Eight Years of Age . . . . The Seventh Edition.
London: Printed for James Brackstone, 1741.
[Bound with:] Isaac Watts.
The Second Sett of Catechisms and Prayers: or, Some Helps to the Religion of Children, and Their Knowledge of the Scripture, from Seven to Twelve Years of Age . . . . The Sixth Edition.
London: Printed for James Brackstone, 1741.
[Bound with:] Isaac Watts.
The Assembly’s Catechism with Notes: or, The Shorter Catechism Composed by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster, with a Brief Explication of the More Difficult Words and Phrases Contained in It, for the Instruction of Youth . . . . The Fifth Edition.
London: Printed for James Brackstone, 1742.
[Bound with:] Isaac Watts.
A Preservative from the Sins and Follies of Childhood and Youth, Written by Way of Question and Answer. To Which is Added, a Large Catalogue of Remarkable Scripture Names, Collected for the Use of Children, and Explained for Their Better Acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures . . . . The Fourth Edition.
London: Printed for James Brackstone, 1741. (BRB0967/A-D)

Isaac Watts is most well-known as a Nonconformist hymn-writer. Many of his compositions are still in common use and his Divine Songs, first published in 1715, is considered the first hymn-book for children. This sammelband includes four non-hymnal works by Watts, all catechisms written for children and all extremely rare. Bridwell holds the only recorded copies of these editions of The First Set of Catechisms and Prayers (seventh edition, 1741), The Second Sett of Catechisms and Prayers (sixth edition, 1741), and A Preservative from the Sins and Follies of Childhood and Youth (fourth edition, 1741). The Assembly’s Catechism with Notes (fifth edition, 1742) is known in one other copy.