First edition, the rarer issue with a new title page, indicating an Irish Dublin distribution by Smith and Bruce. Quarto (25cm x 19cm). Pp xiv, [ii], 376, plus three folding plates. Page 96 misnumbered 66. ANNOTATED BY A NINETEENTH CENTURY HAND to the lower margin on approximately 118 pages. Twentieth century dark morocco on cloth boards. A little browned, and light mark to inner lower margin throughout, but a good copy overall. The Chronology in many respects marks Newton s ambivalence toward the theological restrictions of his time: he clearly realises that some kind of long history will be needed in order to understand the history of human society, but avoids stating this overtly, and indeed refused to allow the publication of this work, which he rewrote many times, during his lifetime. Here, more than a century later a well-read and learned reader has set themselves to go through his arguments closely, indicating carefully where he feels Newton is at fault. The annotations begin on page 6-7, where there is a correction to Herodotus, and continue, now referring to Sparta: Nothing can be more uncertain than such a computation, The Kings of Sparta were in direct descent, and might reign nearly as many generations. But even generations are extremely unequal…. The annotations are in a neat spare small hand, some in pen, but later also in pencil. There is no indication as to authorship, but as well as an extensive knowledge of the classics, there are also biblical allusions. A remarkable even acerbic encounter with Newton, with whose classical knowledge the annotator is not at all content. This issue is rather rarer than the usual first edition: Tonson appears to have prepared copies for the Scottish market, and for the Irish market coming to an arrangement with local bookseller, and issuing copies with revised title pages accordingly. ESTC T30722.