Antedating of "Literary"

[Fred Shapiro]

literary (OED 1646 in the sense "pertaining to the letters of the
alphabet," 1749 in the sense "of, or pertaining to, or of the nature of,
literature")  1605 Francis Bacon _The tvvoo bookes of Francis Bacon. Of
the proficience and aduancement of learning, diuine and humane. To the
King._ 7 (Early English Books Online)  HISTORY is NATURAL, CIVIL,
ECCLESIASTICALL & LITERARY, whereof the three first I allow as extant, the
fourth I note as deficient.

Fred Shapiro


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fred R. Shapiro                             Editor
Associate Librarian for Collections and     YALE DICTIONARY OF QUOTATIONS
  Access and Lecturer in Legal Research     Yale University Press,
Yale Law School                             forthcoming
e-mail: fred.shapiro at yale.edu               http://quotationdictionary.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------