I was looking through an old book from my great-great grandfather to list it in the odd books thread but decided to focus on the leaves. The book is certainly obscure, printed in 1721 and written by Mr Charles Leflie (Leslie).
The full title is:
***The Theological Works of the Reverend Mr Charles Leflie.
A short and Eafy
METHOD
with the DEISTS,
wherein the
CERTAINTY
of the
Chriftian Religion
is demonftrated by Infallible Proof from
FOUR RULES,
which are
Incompatible to any Imposture that ever
yet has been, or that can poffibly be.***
This short and easy method is contained in 2 volumes, oversized and having over 800 pages each. And when he is started with the Deists he has another title page with Jews replacing Deists. He then proceeds to tear a new asshole in Jews and Deists in support of (I guess) some subset of Martin Luther’s Protestant movement viewed through his Anglican eyes.
In other books he attacks Quakers (titled a Snake in the Grass), the Church of Rome, the Church of England, William III, and the Socinians. Whew, his sermons must have been a hoot!
But that’s not important. What is, is that about every 100 pages or so a handful of maple leaves is stuffed between the pages. Just plain, brown, flat as Hell (oops, excuse me, Chuck), maple leaves.
This is not the simple pressing of a memento leaf. Is this supposed to ward off mildew or what?
Dennis