Reason the only oracle of man, or A compenduous [sic] system of natural religion. Alternately adorned with confutations of a variety of doctrines incompatible to it; deduced from the most exalted ideas which we are able to form of the divine and human characters, and from the universe in general. By Ethan Allen, Esq;

People / Organizations

• Ethan Allen (Author)

Imprint

Bennington: state of Vermont: Printed by Haswell & Russell, M,DCC.LXXXIV. [1784]

Publication year

1784-1784

ESTC No.

W28994

Grub Street ID

339209

Description

xxi, [2], 24-477, [3] p. ; 8⁰

Note

The first publication in the United States openly directed against the Christian religion. Ethan Allen's authorship is called into question by G.P. Anderson in his "Who wrote 'Ethan Allen's Bible'?" (New England quarterly 10 (1937): 685-696). According to Anderson, Allen revised and published the manuscript of the recently deceased Thomas Young (1732-1777), with whom he may have discussed some of the contents some years earlier. The greater part of the edition was destroyed by fire in the printing office; according to Anderson "Out of fifteen hundred copies printed, it is doubtful if as many as one hundred escaped destruction." - With a half-title.

Uncontrolled note

Signatures: [A-B]? C-U? W? X-Z? 2B-2I? 2J? 2K-2T? 2V? 2U? 2W? 2X-3L? (3L3 verso, 3L4 blank)