A Plaine Discouverie of the Whole Revelation of St John

A Plaine Discouverie of the Whole Revelation of St John is a book by John Napier.

This book attracts the attention of Mr Norrell whilst he is attending a fashionable party at the home of a Mrs Godesdone, some three weeks after his first arrival in London. A fashionable London party is not an entertainment best suited to please a scholar fond of seclusion and quiet. Tired by the noise and crowds, suffocated by the heat of many candles, Mr Norrell retreats to a quiet corner near a window where he happily discovers a bookcase, takes down the Napier and begins to read[4].

Notes

A Plaine Discouery of the Whole Reuelation of Saint Iohn was first published in 1593 in Scotland. It is likely that the version read by Mr Norrell is either a copy that has been rebound, or a later edition, given the changes in the spelling of the title. Written in English, it was considered by Napier to be his magnum opus, though perhaps not one he envisioned an enduring legacy for, as the work predicted the end of the world was to take place in 1688 or 1700.

As this happily did not come to pass, the reader may find more information about the book here.