Remarks on the Last Chapters of Mr. Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

The very scarce, greatly enlarged second edition of James Chelsum"s influential attack on Gibbon"s account of early Christianity. In a contemporary full calf binding. The second edition, and the first to acknowledge authorship to clergyman James Chelsum. First published anonymously in 1776. ESTC No.: T77383. A theological response to Edward Gibbon"s account of the rise and spread of Christianity in the fifteenth and sixteenth chapters of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,in which Chelsum critiques Gibbon's sceptical portrayal of early Church history, and similar remarks to Joseph Priestley's rationalist views. His critique formed part of the controversy which prompted Gibbon"s own Vindication of 1779. James Chelsum (c.1740-1801) was an English clergyman, scholar and polemicist, educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford. An important contemporary contribution to the religious controversy surrounding Gibbon"s history. In a contemporary full calf binding.Externally, a little worn. Rubbing to extremities, resulting in slight loss to calf. Bumping to lower corners, heavier to rear resulting in slight warping to rear board and creasing to rear paste down. Slight offsetting to endpapers. Creasing to spine. Slight cracking to extremities of joints. Ink ownership inscriptions to front free endpaper dated 1878, and a later handwritten note tipped to the front pastedown. Internally, firmly bound. Pages bright and clean with one or two spots. Light creasing to lower corners from bumping. Previous ownership inscription to head of title page; blind stamp from Lathbury Rectory to margin. Good.…