THE Country Housewife
AND LADY’S DIRECTOR, For every Month of the Year, BOTH IN THE Frugal Management of a House, and in the Delights and Profits of a FARM. CONTAINING The Whole Art of Cookery, LAID DOWN IN A great Variety of the Best and Cheapest Receipts for Dressing all Sorts of Flesh, Fish, Fowl, Fruits, and Herbs, which are the Productions of a Farm, or any foreign Parts. LIKEWISE The best Methods to be observed in Brewing Malt Liquors, and Making the several Sorts of English Wines. THE Arts of Pickling, Preserving, Confectionary, Pastry, &c. &c. Together with a few of the Most approved and efficacious Medicines, proper to be kept in every private Family. Published for the Good of the Public. By R. BRADLEY. Professor of Botany in the University of Cambridge, and Fellow of the Royal Society. The Sixth Edition. With great Additions and Improvements. LONDON: Printed for W.Bristow, the West-End of St.Paul's Cathederal, and C.Ethrington, at York. 1762.
12mo. 1fep. Title page.[1] 4p Introduction 'To the Ladies' 1+2-328. Monthly Dishes 329-343. Index 344-352. 1fep. Fully bound in original dark tan tree calf. With a re-laid spine with gilt lines and red and green labels with gilt lettering. With a nice patina. Internally nice and clean.
- Richard Bradley. 1688 – 1732, was a Professor of Botany at Cambridge. He was a prolific writer and his book ‘The Country Housewife’ is an eclectic mix of subjects, besides the usual chapters found in an eighteenth century cookery book. There is even an interesting section on the drying of Saffron. Bradley’s reputation in academic circles was severely besmirched in a very acrimonious and public dispute with Patrick Blair, an ambitious Scottish physician and fellow of the Royal Society. Whenever any bibliographical reference to Bradley is brought up, the dispute is part of his file. Whatever Bradley's reputation, his book ‘The Country Housewife’ is a very scarce and uncommon item, much sought after by collectors
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Antiquarian category
ref number:
11039