In Ledger G, Mercer listed all the books of his library before 1746. He
then listed additions as they occurred through 1750 (Appendix K). This
astonishing catalog, disclosing one of the largest libraries in Virginia
at that time, reveals the catholicity of Mercer's tastes and the
inquiring mind that lay behind them. Included in the catalog are the
titles of perhaps the most important law library in the colony.
The names of all sorts of books on husbandry and agriculture are to be
found in the list: "Practice of farming," "Houghton's Husbandry,"
"Monarchy of the Bees," "Flax," "Grass," and Evelyn's "A Discourse of
Sallets." Mercer's interest in brewing, which later was to launch a
full-scale, if abortive, commercial enterprise is reflected in "London
Brewer," "Scott's Distilling and Fermentation," "Hops," and the "Hop
Gardin," while "The Craftsman," "Woollen Manufacture," and "New
Improvements" indicate his concern with the efficiency of other
plantation activities.
He displayed an interest in nature and science typical of an
18th-century man: "Bacon's Natural History," "Gordon's Cosmography,"
"Gordon's Geography," "Atkinson's Epitome of Navigation," "Ozamun's
Mathematical Recreations," "Keill's Astronomy," and "Newton's Opticks."
Two others were "Baker's Microscope" and "Description of the Microscope
&c." It may be significant that in 1747 Mercer bought three microscopes
from one "Doctor Spencer" of Fredericksburg, the books on the subject
and the instruments themselves possibly having been intended for the
education of the three boys.
"150 Prints of Ovid's Metamorphosis" appears, in addition to "Ovid's
Metamorphosis and 25 Sins," for which Mercer paid £8 6s. to William
Parks in 1746. "Catalog of Plants" and "Merian of Insects" are other
titles related to natural science.
Many books on history and biography are listed--for example, "Life of
Oliver Cromwell," "Lives of the Popes," "Life of the Duke of Argyle,"
"Hughes History of Barbadoes," "Catholick History," "History of
Virginia," "Dr. Holde's History of China," "The English Acquisitions in
Guinea," "Purchas's Pilgrimage."
There are 25 titles under "Physick & Surgery," reflecting the planter's
need to know the rudiments of medical care for his slaves and family.
Art, architecture, and travel interested him also, and we find such
titles as "Noblemen's Seats by Kip," "Willis's Survey of the
Cathedrals," "8 Views of Scotland," "Perrier's Statues," "Pozzo's
Perspective," "100 Views of Brabant & Flanders," "History of
Amphitheatres." There was but one title on music--"The Musical
Miscellany," mentioned previously. "Report about Silver Coins" was
probably an English report on the exchange rate of silver coinage in the
various British colonies.
Mercer kept abreast of English literature of his own and preceding
generations: "Swift's Sermons," the "Spectator" and the "Tatler,"
"Pope's Works," "Turkish Spy," "Tom Brown's Letters from the Dead to the
Living," "Pamela," "David Simple," "Joseph Andrews," "Shakespeare's
Plays," "Ben Jonson's Works," "Wycherley's Plays," "Prior's Works,"
"Savage's Poems," "Cowley's Works," and "Select Plays" (in 16 volumes),
to mention but a few. The classics are well represented--"Lauderdale's
Virgil," "Ovid's Art of Love," "Martial" (in Greek), as well as a Greek
grammar and a Greek testament. There were the usual sermons and
religious books, along with such diverse subjects as "Alian's Tacticks
of War," "Weston's Treatise of Shorthand" and "Weston's Shorthand
Copybook," and "Greave's Origin of Weights, &c." He subscribed to the
_London Magazine_ and the _Gentleman's Magazine_, and received regularly
the _Virginia Gazette_.
While most of Mercer's books were for intellectual edification or
factual reference, a few must have served the purpose of sheer visual
pleasure. Such was Merian's magnificent quarto volume of hand-colored
engraved plates of Surinam insects, with descriptive texts in Dutch. The
18th-century gentleman's taste for the elegant, the "curious," and the
aesthetically delightful were all satisfied in this luxurious book,
which would have been placed appropriately on a table for the pleasure
of Mercer's guests.[107]