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Imaginary voyage criticizing imposed religion, together with an eye-witness account of slavery in Africa

[VAIRASSE D'ALLAIS, Denis and Thomas SMITH].
Geographisches Kleinod, aus zweyen sehr ungemeinen Edelgesteinen bestehend; darunter der Erster eine Historie der New-gefundenen Völcker Sevarambes genannt, ... Der Ander aber vorstellet die seltzamen begebenheiten herren T.S. eines englischen Kauff-Herrens...
[Sultzbach], printed by Abraham Lichtenthaler, 1689. 4to. With engraved frontispiece, 16 engraved plates and some woodcut initials. Contemporary vellum. [2], 362 [=360]; 100 pp.
€ 8,500
First edition of the German translation of the utopian novel Histoire des Sevarambes (History of the Sevarambians) by the French writer Denis Vairasse (ca. 1635-1700). It describes an imaginary journey to Australia and gives the history of the people living there, in the style of Thomas Moore's Utopia. It tells the story from the perspective of one Captain Siden [Denis], whose ship discovers the great kingdom Sevarambia. Presented in the manner of the contemporary geographical and anthropological works, the book provides a direct criticism of imposed religions, in particular attacking 17th-century Catholicism (Vairasse himself was a Protestant). Remarkably, this edition also includes the first German translation of Thomas Smith's account of slavery in Africa, in the original English entitled The adventures of an English merchant, taken prisoner by the Turks of Algiers, and carried into the inland countries of Africa.
Title-page and last two pages frayed along the margins and partly torn, 5 leaves (2B2-4 and 2C1-2) sophisticated from another copy of the same edition, with smaller margins, and some minor foxing. Binding stained, worn and slightly damaged along the extremities. Overall in good condition. Howgego, Invented narratives V1; VD 17 39:131551R; cf. Howgego, to 1800 K28 (Thomas Smith).
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Related Subjects:

Africa  >  Central & West Africa | Slavery
Americas  >  Slavery
Cartography & exploration  >  Imaginary Voyages & Utopias | Voyages & Travel
History, law & philosophy  >  History | Slavery