Betraktelse Om Den Sanna Gudacktighetens Början Och Tilwärxt by Philip Doddridge (RARE Second Swedish Edition, 1773) 🇸🇪📜⛪️

1. Introduction 📜🔍🏛️

This is a rare and a foundational work of 18th-century religious literature. The book is a guide to spiritual development, first published in English and quickly translated across Europe due to its widespread influence.

As a second improved Swedish edition from 1773, it is a highly sought-after artifact for collectors of European theology and Scandinavian intellectual history.

This particular copy is further distinguished by a personal, handwritten inscription that links it directly to a specific owner from the early 19th century.

2. About the Book 📖✍️✨

Betraktelse om den sanna gudacktighetens början och tilwart is the Swedish translation of Philip Doddridge’s masterpiece, The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul. This book is a detailed, practical guide designed to lead the reader through a process of spiritual reflection and personal piety. It is structured as a series of contemplative exercises, prayers, and meditations intended to encourage a deep and personal relationship with faith. The book’s systematic approach was highly influential, serving as a model for many subsequent works of evangelical devotion.

The book’s physical form is a classic example of 18th-century European bookmaking. The quality of the paper and the careful typesetting reflect the importance of the work for its intended audience. As a second "improved" edition, it contains editorial refinements or additions not present in the earlier Swedish version, making it the most refined version available to its contemporary readers.

3. About the Author/Maker ✍️🏛️

Philip Doddridge (1702–1751) was a prominent English Nonconformist minister, educator, and hymn writer. A central figure in the dissenting community, he established an academy that trained over 200 ministers, many of whom went on to have a significant influence on British and American Protestantism. Doddridge's work combined intellectual rigor with a deep spiritual fervor, a characteristic that permeates all of his published works.

This particular book showcases Doddridge’s unique style, which aimed to address both the intellect and the heart. He was known for his ability to translate complex theological concepts into accessible, personal, and emotionally resonant prose. His influence extended far beyond his lifetime, shaping the piety of generations of Christians in England, the United States, and across the globe.

4. Historical/Political Era Context 🌍🕰️📜

This book was published in 1773, a period in Sweden’s history known as the "Gustavian era". This period followed the Age of Liberty and was a time of significant political and cultural transformation under King Gustav III.

While Sweden was officially Lutheran, there were growing intellectual and religious currents, including pietism, which sought a more personal and heartfelt faith. This book is a direct artifact of those movements, showing how foreign pietistic thought found a receptive audience in Sweden.

The book’s publication reflects a broader intellectual exchange between England and Scandinavia during the Enlightenment. Ideas, texts, and religious movements did not remain confined to their country of origin.

The decision to translate and print a second, improved edition speaks volumes about the demand for this specific spiritual guidance within Swedish society. It is a material object that captures the flow of religious ideas across European borders, demonstrating the interconnectedness of intellectual life in the 18th century.

5. The Ideal Collector 💡🧐🏛️

This book is intended for a curator of rare theological texts or a scholar of Swedish cultural history. It is a perfect fit for a private collection focusing on the spread of evangelical Christianity in Europe during the Enlightenment. The ideal holder for this volume values the intellectual and spiritual life of the 18th century as a key to understanding modern religious thought. They would appreciate this volume not merely for its age, but for its role as a mirror of a specific cultural moment.

This particular volume would be a central piece in a collection of spiritual and religious books that shaped the lives of generations of readers.

It appeals to those who understand that books are not just repositories of information, but objects that have influenced societies and individuals in profound ways. This work is for the collector who is interested in the intellectual and emotional life of their historical counterparts.

6. Value & Rarity 💎✨🏛️

As a second, improved Swedish edition from 1773, this book represents a genuinely scarce, non-replicable asset class. Finding a well-preserved copy of this text, particularly in its original language of translation, is a rare opportunity for collectors of religious and Scandinavian works.

The publication of a "second improved" edition confirms that the book was in high demand and was considered a significant work, yet the survival rate of such items from this period is low.

The book is approximately 252 years old. Its value is not a simple calculation based on its physical form. Its true worth lies in its historical context and its rarity within the specialized field of Swedish antiquarian books. The book’s price is a direct reflection of its scarcity, its importance to the history of religious thought, and its superior physical condition for an item of its age.

7. Condition 🔎📚✨

• The book is a handsome survivor from the late 18th century, showing honest and authentic wear consistent with its age.

• The full leather binding remains in a sound state, with a tight and stable binding.

• The covers show some expected rubbing and scuffing, particularly along the spine and edges.

• The pages have some expected toning, as well as some light foxing, which is a natural process for paper from this period.

• The interior text block is clean and free of any major tears or stains.

• There is one personal inscription on a blank endpaper, which adds a unique layer of history.

8. Fun Facts & Unique Features 🤓📜🤩

• The original English edition of this work, The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul, was first published in 1745 and quickly became one of the most widely read books of its time. It was a bestseller for over a century.

• It was translated into at least seven different languages within a few decades of its first publication, a true international sensation.

• The "improved" aspect of this specific Swedish edition suggests that the translator or publisher was dedicated to making this work as effective as possible for its local audience.

• The book’s legacy is also found in its hymns; many of the prayers in the book were adapted into hymns by Doddridge, and some are still sung in congregations today.

9. Supporting Information 🏷️📦💰

• Title: Betraktelse om den sanna gudacktighetens början och tilwart

• Author/Maker: Philip Doddridge

• Year: 1773

• Publisher/Foundry: Lars Kumblin (printed by), sold by D. Segerdahls Förlag

• Place of Origin: Stockholm, Sweden

• Format/Binding: Hardcover, Full Leather

• Edition: Second Improved Swedish Edition

• Transcription: The title page reads: "Betraktelse Om Den Sanna Gudacktighetens Början Och Tilwärxt. Andra och förbättrade Uplagan. STOCKHOLM, Tryckt hos LARS KUMBLIN, 1773."

• Transcription of Inscription: The handwritten inscription on the endpaper reads: "Carlson Otter 1817."