Marcus Flaminius An Historical Novel: in A Series of Letters supposed to be Written in the Life-time of Germanicus

London: Printed for C. Dilly..., 1795. 2 volumes. Large 8vo, 205 x 128 mms., pp. xii, 402; [ii], 341 [342 blank], contemporary half roan, marbled boards, spine richly gilt, black leather labels; some slight wear to spine, corners worn, but a good copy, with the armorial bookplate of William Botfield on the front paste-down end-papers. Ellis Cornelia Knight (1757–1837) was unusual among girls in that she was exceptionally well-educated in her youth, studying from the age of five with four Swiss sisters at a boarding school, and on the other three days, "she was instructed in French, Latin, the elements of Greek, mathematics, geography, and history by a visiting master, M. Petitpierre, who had formerly been pastor at Neufchâtel; she was taught to dance by Mr Novere, a highly fashionable dancing-master." Her first book, Dinarbas: a Tale, published in 1790 was intended as a "continuation" of Samuel Johnson's Rasselas. The present work was first published in 1792, and this is the second edition. The Monthly Review noticed the work in the same year, remarking that mixing fiction and fact could mislead readers ignorant of the historical context. Marcus Flamenius, however, " partakes more of the fictitious than the historical character. If it be read as a composition of fancy and sentiments, it will afford much amusement; for the fair writer has discovered great ingenuity with interweaving, in the relation of historical facts.., many imaginary incidents, and in exhibiting several portraits, at full length, of characters briefly sketched in real history...." Raven, James, Antonia Forster, Peter Garside, Rainer Schöwerling, The English Novel, 1770-1829: A Bibliographical Survey of Prose Fiction Published in the British Isles (OUP 2000), 1792: 42.