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Rare first edition of the German translation
BOSWELL, James.Beschreibung von Corsica nebst vielen wichtigen Nachrichten und Anecdoten vom Pascal Paoli dem General der Corsen.    Leipzig, Caspar Fritsch, 1768. 2 parts in 1 vol. 8vo. Contemporary calf, spine gilt-tooled, with red title label, red painted edges. With an engraved folding map of Corsica. (14), 346 pp. Original German translation of this delightful travel book by James Boswell (1740-1795), today mainly known as the friend and biographer of Samuel Johnson. The work was first published at Glasgow in 1768, and was so popular that three more editions appeared during that same year. The book is divided in two parts, the first giving a detailed description and history of Corsica, and the second containing a journal of Boswell's voyage to the island. It was especially this latter part which excited the public, being a lively account of Boswell's quixotic adventures in Corsica and his association with General Paoli. Pascal Paoli was a Corsican patriot, who in 1755 succeeded in liberating the island from Genoese oppression and was chosen president under a republican constitution. In 1769, however, his troops were defeated by the French, and he had to flee to England. Boswell brought Paoli to London, introduced him to the circle of Samuel Johnson, and succeeded in getting official British support for the island's struggle to become an independent nation. With the help of Admiral Hood, the French were defeated in 1794, but after only two years of British reign the French took over again, with Corsica coming under jurisdiction of Napoleon Bonaparte. Boswell enjoyed his role as promoter of Corsica's interests so much that he appeared in Corsican costume at Garrick's anniversary party in honour of Shakespeare in Stratford-on-Avon in 1769. Johnson said about Boswell's book: "Your History is like other histories, but your Journal is in a very high degree curious and delightful". The large folding map is one of the rare maps solely devoted to the island. The book was also translated into Dutch, French, and Italian. Good copy, with the book plate of Franz Pollack-Parnau on inside of front cover.- (Cover sl. rubbed).
Cox I, pp. 138-9 (other ed.); Lowndes, The Bibliogr. Manual of Engl. Lit. I, p. 242 (first English ed.).
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€ 2.500,00
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All items are offered subject to prior sale. Prices are nett and in (€) EURO. VAT/BTW, postage, and insurance are not included.
Free shipping for orders over € 2,500. EU customers: if applicable, please quote your VAT number when placing orders.
Preferred mode of payment: by credit card through our secure online payment service, which is facilitated by Ogone. If you wish to make other arrangements, please contact us. Terms of sale
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