DOUGLAS, Rev. James.

Nenia Britannica, Or a Sepulchral History of Great Britain, from the earliest period to its general conversion to Christianity.

London, printed by John Nichols, for Benjamin and John White, 1793. Folio, pp. [2], vi, 197, [1], with 36 fine aquatint plates, and 11 aquatint illustrations in the text; all illustrations are by the author, and one large engraved vignette on the additional title page; a few leaves with scattered foxing in the margins but generally a very good, large copy in 19th century blindstamped calf, with double gilt fillet on covers, rebacked. First edition. James Douglas worked as an engineer on the refortification of the 'Chatham Lines' against the threat of Napoleonic invasion, and began to record the ancient barrows unearthed during the work. He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1780 and published several of his early discoveries in Archaeologia. His major work, Nenia Britannica, was originally issued in 12 parts between 1786 and 1793 with sepia aquatints by the author. Nenia Britannica, with its scientific approach to geology, soil evidence, relative dating, crop marks, rigorous observations and recording of artefacts was largely ignored by Douglas' contemporaries. Even the title was mocked, as Nenia could be taken as meaning nursery rhymes as well as funeral dirges. Douglas' friend Dr. Johnson rose to his defence; 'Why not, Sir' he said 'Nenia Britannica as well as Flora Britannica'. It was not until 1856 with Charles Roach Smith's edition of Bryan Faussett's Inventorium Sepulchrale that Douglas' great contribution to British archaeology was first acknowledged. 'The plan of the barrow on 'Chatham Lines' which formed his frontispiece and the section of graves in the sand pit at Ash are the earliest illustrations of English archaeology in the field' (Jessup, Man of many talents. An informal biography of James Douglas 1753-1819, p. 109).Douglas collection of the archaeological objects found by him and illustrated in this book were sold by his widow to Sir Richard Colt Hoare, who in 1829 presented them to the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford.Borroni 4512; not in Abbey.

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