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The Original Rules of Tennis by Bodleian Library

Established in 1968, Bodleian Library Publishing has partnered with The All England Lawn Tennis Club at Wimbledon to reproduce the first rules of the game.

John Aubrey and the Advancement of Learning by William Poole

John Aubrey and the Advancement of Learning presents all of Aubrey's varied interests and pursuits within the intellectual context of his times. Published to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the Royal Society, this is the first accessible and illustrated guide to Aubrey's many diverse achievements as a biographer, antiquary, mathematician, 'natural philosopher' and all-round virtuoso.

An Englishwoman in California The Letters of Catherine Hubback 1871-76 by Bodleian Library by Zoe Klippert

A niece of Jane Austen and a novelist herself, Catherine Hubback wrote regularly to her eldest son John and his wife Mary. Her letters offer an articulate, detailed commentary on life in California by a gentlewoman managing a household and finding her place in a new world.

The First English Dictionary of Slang 1699 by Bodleian Library

A New Dictionary of Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew by 'B.E., Gentleman' was the first work dedicated to slang words and their meanings. It aimed to educate the more polite classes in the language (and methods) of thieves and vagabonds, protecting them from cant speakers and the 'wondrous' quality of their activities, should they be so unfortunate as to encounter such individuals. With an introduction by John Simpson, which describes the history and culture of canting in the seventeenth and eighteenth century as well as the evolution of English slang, this is a fascinating volume for the general reader.