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Secret
MEMOIRS and MANNERS
of Several Persons of Quality
of
Both Sexes
from the New Atlantis,
an Island in the Mediterranean.
Written Originally in Italian
The Second Edition
LONDON: Printed for John Morphew, 1709
* 246 pages; 4-3/4” x 7-3/4”. Original calf boards, handsomely rebacked
with raised spine and applied gilt title. Errata: last page is incorrectly numbered as 256.
* Written by Delarivier Manley, 1663-1724; sometimes referred to as Mary De La Riviere.
Aka: Delarivier, Delariviere. Often considered the first true feminist writing in the English language!
*This political satire (first published in May of 1709) concerns the return to earth of the goddess of Justice, Astrea to gather information about private and public behavior on the island of Atlantis. Delariviere Manley drew on her own experiences as well as observation of her milieu to produce this scandalous roman a clef narrative of the private lives of prominent Whig and Tory politicians.
* Although the author claims work was “translated from the Italian”, this was a subterfuge
to draw attention (and blame) from the true author: Mrs. Manley.
CONDITION OF THE BOOK is very good.1710 signature of Ann Edmonds. Binding is strong. No missing, defaced, loose or torn pages. Some light toning and minor scattered foxing. Some of the pages appear slightly “wavy” due to age - but this book is in remarkable shape considering it is 300 years old.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: De La Riviere was the daughter of Sir Roger Manley, governor of the Channel Islands. According to her 1714 biography, she was orphaned at the age of sixteen and forced into a mock marriage with a kinsman who deserted her three years afterwards. From 1696, she was a favored member of fashionable society. After her Secret Memoirs appeared, she was arrested in the autumn of 1709, as the author of a libelous publication, but discharged in February 1710. Along with Swift, Bolinbroke and Harley, she wrote several pamphlets critiicizing persons and policy in an attempt to expose the private vices of the ministers.
ABOUT THE WORK: She completed this first part in May of 1709; this second edition was published in July. Part II (not included in this volume) was published in October. A third work, Memoirs of Europe was also anonymously written under the guise of translation.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a key to the politicians she was “outing”!
Even without the key, here is a marvelous look at the sexual moires of her time.
Was Delaviere an early feminist? a pioneer woman writer?
A political & literary activist?
Whatever she was - she was extraordinary!
this 1709 book is RARE and usually priced up to $1000.
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