Cryptography.- [Wilkins (John)] Mercury, or the Secret

Cryptography.- [Wilkins (John)] Mercury, or the Secret and Swift Messenger: Shewing How a Man may with Privacy and Speed communicate his Thoughts to a Friend at any distance, first edition, woodcut illustrations/diagrams, lacking initial and final two blank leaves, upper edge trimmed with some loss to ruled border, occasional foxing and marginal browning, contemporary speckled sheep, rebacked, repaired and with some wear to extremities, [Wing W2202], 8vo, Printed by I. Norton, for John Maynard, and Timothy Wilkins, 1641.

⁂ "The most important of early English works...contains valuable information concerning processes of cipherment...deciphering and especially details concerning the History of Cryptography. Wilkins gives a long list of classical authorities for...devices used in ancient times for concealing communications..." (Galland, Bib. of Cryptography, 199). Wilkins (1614-72), was bishop of Chester and warden of Wadham College, Oxford. The work includes a cryptographical translation of speech into musical tones and a new logical grammar based on speech sounds, a fore-runner of Russell, Carnap, and Wittgenstein. These ideas were expanded in his Essay towards a real character, 1668.

Loosely inserted are 2 letters, dated 1893 and 1894 to Charles Strachey concerning the loan of this book to James Cary, who was working on Baconian ciphers.

Provenance: "Ex dono Erskine [?]", (ink inscription partially crossed out on title); Charles Strachey (ink inscription dated 1887 to front endpaper).