Search Results: memoirs of commonly known by by george psalmanazar

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Gale ECCO, Print Editions. paperback. New. 7x0x9. Brand New Book in Publishers original Sealing

Dublin: P. Wilson et. al., 1765. First Irish Edition. 8vo, pp. [ii],[ii], 234. Bound in contemporary mottled calf, couple of pieces of leather missing from the front and rear board, wear along spine, a very good tight copy. CBEL II, 135. Psalmanzar was an elaborate fake. Born in southern France, he, at an early age, developed a persona of a native of Formosa, speaking in an imaginery laguage and using this device made his way in the social, religious and intellectual circes of the time. With the help of his chaplain, William Innes, Psalmanzar translated the Church of England catechism into his imaginery language and worked an invitation to Christ Church, Oxford. In his later life he lived in Ironmonger Row and drank ale with Dr. Johnson. The autobiography outlines some of the ruse. See DNB (vol 46) for an extended write-up.

London: Printed for R. Davis; J. Newbery; L. Davis and C. Reymers, 1765. quarter leather over marbled paper covered boards, top edge stained black, five rised bands, red leather spine label. large 12mo. quarter leather over marbled paper covered boards, top edge stained black, five rised bands, red leather spine label. Frontispiece, (ii), ii, 307 pages. Containing an Account of his Education, Travels, Adventures, Connections, Literary Productions, and pretended Conversion from Heathenism to Christianity; which last proved the Occasion of his being brought over into this Kingdom, and passing for a Proselyte, and a Member of the Church of England. Second edition. Front hinge almost completely broken. Wear along head and tail of spine, with general shelfwear along all edges. Very light, scattered foxing throughout the textblock. An autobiographical account, whereby the place of birth and the identity of the parents have been omitted. The Last Will and Testament have been prefixed to serve as an introduction.

Dublin: Printed for P. Wilson, J. Exshaw, E. Watts, B. Cotter, J. Potts, and J. Williams. M,DCC,LXV. 1765. FIRST DUBLIN EDITION. 12mo, 160 x 95 mms., pp. [iv], 234, later 18th century calf, panelled in blind, spine with raised bands, sides with blind fillet borders. A very good to fine copy, with the autograph "L. Harrison Matthews" and the armorial book plate of John Euan Davies on the front paste-down end-paper, and a leaf of notes, written horizontally on the leaf before the title-page, head "Madam Piozzi." This supposititious account of George Psalmanazar (1679-1763), born to Roman Catholic parents in the south of France, is as amusing as it is unreliable. He was not a "Native of Formosa," but he did publish a book on the island, Historical and Geographical Description of Formosa (1704). Robert DeMaria, Jr., in his Oxford DNB entry, astutely compares him to some other eighteenth-century figures whose imagination was inversely proportional to facts in their… Read More

London: Printed for R. Davis; J. Newbery; L. Davis and C. Reymers, 1765. full leather, five raised bands, red leather spine label, top edge stained black, fore-edge and bottom edge sprinkled red, gilt ornamentation on fore-edge of leather boards. large 12mo. full leather, five raised bands, red leather spine label, top edge stained black, fore-edge and bottom edge sprinkled red, gilt ornamentation on fore-edge of leather boards. Frontispiece, (ii), ii, 307 pages. Containing an Account of his Education, Travels, Adventures, Connections, Literary Productions, and pretended Conversion from Heathenism to Christianity; which last proved the Occasion of his being brought over into this Kingdom, and passing for a Proselyte, and a Member of the Church of England. Second edition. Wear to hinges and tail of spine. Corners bumped. Minor moisture stain affecting only the top edge of the textblock on a handful of pages not affecting the text. An autobiographical account, whereby the place of birth and the… Read More

London: Printed for the Executrix; Printed for R. Davis; J. Newbery; L. Davis and C. Reymers, 1764. half leather with marbled paper-covered boards, 5 raised bands, top edge gilt, red leather spine label. large 12mo. half leather with marbled paper-covered boards, 5 raised bands, top edge gilt, red leather spine label. frontispiece, (ii), ii, 364 pages. Containing an Account of his Education, Travels, Adventures, Connections, Literary Productions, and pretended Conversion from Heathenism to Christianity; which last proved the Occasion of his being brought over into this Kingdom, and passing for a Proselyte, and a Member of the Church of England. First edition. Advertisement page / page ii expertly repaired. Some scattered spotting and foxing throughout the textblock. A beautiful copy of the rare and scarce first edition. An autobiographical account, whereby the place of birth and the identity of the parents have been omitted. The Last Will and Testament have been prefixed to serve as an introduction.