First edition of the author's most famous work. The orientalist Simon Ockley (1678-1720) was educated at Queens' College, Cambridge. He became fellow of Jesus College and vicar of Swavesey, and in 1711 was appointed professor of Arabic at the University. His History of the Saracens (as he called the 1718 second edition of the present work and the second volume added at that time) long enjoyed a great reputation; unfortunately Ockley took as his main authority a MS. in the Bodleian of pseudo-Wakidi's Futúh al-Shám, which is more historical romance than history. He also translated from the Arabic the Second Book of Esdras" (Enc. Brit.). For some reason, the present copy an alternative version of the dedication to Henry Aldrich, probably from the second edition of 1718, inserted in the middle of the preface, after p. XX. The 1718 edition was printed for the same four publishers (plus one more) and seems likely to come from the same printing office.
With old manuscript dates on title-page. Binding rubbed, hinges and extremities worn. Blackmer 1216; ESTC T134334; Gay, Bibl. de l'Afrique et l'Arabe 98; WorldCat 13745389.