Biblioteca heredadaGeorge Curwin

Orders for books: Curwin M.S.S., American Antiquarian Society (I:121-131). Noted in Colonial Collegians (Harvard 1523)

Auction catalog; A Catalogue of Curious and Valuable Books, (Which mostly belonged to the Reverend Mr. George Curwin, Late of Salem, Deceased) Consisting of Divinity, Philosophy, History, Poetry, &c. Generally well bound. To be Sold by Auction, At the House of Mr. Elisha Odlin, on the South Side of the Town-House in Boston, on Tuesday the Second Day of September, 1718. Beginning at Three a Clock Afternoon. The Books will be shewn by Samuel Gerrish Bookseller, near the Old Meeting House in Boston, from Thursday the 28th Day of August, until the Day of Sale, where Catalogues may be had gratis, and at the Sign of the Light-House the Place of Sale. N.B. A Parcel of Pamphlets will then also to be sold.. Boston: Printed by J. Franklin, at his Printing-House in Queen Street, over against Mr. Sheaf's School, where all Sort of Printing Work and Engraving on Wood, is done at reasonable Prizes. (1718). Evans 1953.

Newspaper advertisement for sale: The Boston News-Letter, 18 August 1718, p. 2

Colonial Collegians Database (based on Sibley's): "Mr. Curwin kept up a friendly correspondence with his classmates, particularly with Timothy Cutler, who was still an obscure Connecticut minister eager to borrow books from the remarkable library of the Salem minister. This collection showed the usual theological predominance, leavened by the works of such liberals as Bishop Tillotson. Medicine and law were represented, but to a less extent than in some other clerical libraries of the period. In poetry there was Blackmore; in philosophy and government there were More, Bacon (Instauratio Magna, Novum Organum, and Essays), Descartes, Hobbes (Of Government), and Jean Balzac ("Politics, Englished"). The great strength of the collection lay in the latest works on history and geography, which he bought insatiably. But when the good parson wished to give books to his parishioners he ordered "6 Sailors Companions, 12 Elizabeth in her holy Retirement," and "6 Wo to Drunkards."

Newspaper advertisement (18 August 1718): "The greatest part of the Library of the Reverend Mr. George Curwin, late of Salem, Deceased; with a considerable Number of valuable Books Imported from London the latter end of July last, will be Sold by Auction the second day of September 1718, at the Sign of the Light-House on the South Side of the Town-House in Boston. Catalogues are distributed Gratis by Mr Samuel Gerrish Bookseller near the Old Meeting House, by whom also the Books will be shewn, from the 18th of August to the Day of Sale."