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Letters Writ By a Turkish Spy, Who Lived Five and Forty Years Undiscovered at Paris
Giovanni Paolo Marana; Anonymous
1770
A. Wilde; J. Brotherstone and Sewell, C. Bathurst; et al : London
7" by 4"
[3], vi-xxvi, [4], viii, [9], 312; [24], 276; [22], 263; [22], 287; [18], 257; [22], 241; [14], 248; [20], 280pp
SUMMARY
A smart set of this curious epistolary novel about a Turkish spy who lived for forty years in the court of Louis XIV.
Illustrated,Leather Binding
Overall Condition: Very Good
This book weighs 6 KG when packed
UK Postage: £ 4.49
US Postage: £ 47.99
EU Postage: £ 28.99
European Postage: £ 49.99
Asia Postage: £ 79.99
Worldwide Postage: £ 159.99
DESCRIPTION
Complete in eight volumes.
Illustrated with a frontispiece to Volume I.
The twenty-sixth edition.
'Letters Writ by a Turkish Spy' is an eight volume collection of fictional letters claiming the authorship to be an Ottoman spy named 'Mahmut' in the French court of Louis XIV.
The letters cover the period of 1637 to 1683, from the final years of the Regency of Anne of Austria, to the long reign of Louis XIV.
As a narrator, Mahmut gossips about contemporary politics and the society of the court. These observations include looks at the Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin.
This was a very popular work when first published, admirers including Daniel Defoe, who wrote his own 'Continuation of Turkish Letters Writ by a Turkish Spy in Paris' in 1718, which covered the period of 1687 to 1693.
Volume I was written by Giovanni Paolo Marana, a political refugee to the French court of Louis XIV. The subsequent seven volumes were first written in English and appeared between 1691 and 1694. There has been controversy regarding the authorship of the seven later volumes; the most notable of those attributed to the text are William Bradshaw and Robert Midgely who produced the original English translation.
Bookplate of Henry Stokes to the front paste downs.
Collated, complete.
CONDITION
In a full tree calf binding. externally, smart. Light rubbing to the spines and extremities. A few light marks to the boards, a little heavier to the rear board of Volume IV. Minor bumping to the extremities. Light marks to the boards of Volume II, including a small damp stain to the rear board. Small crack to the head of the joints of Volume I, and to the front joint of Volume V. Small amount of loss to the head and tail of the spine of Volumes I, VI, VII, and VIII, and to the head of the spine of Volume IV. Marks to the rear board of Volume VIII. Bookplate to the front paste downs. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are lightly age-toned and generally clean with scattered spots. Small tear to leaf A8 of Volume IV.
Overall Condition: Very Good
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Overall Condition
(Dustwrapper condition rating is shown after that for the book itself, where a dustwrapper is present)
Fine - Very well preserved copy showing very little wear
Very Good Indeed - Only one or two minor faults, really a very attractive copy
Very Good - Quite a wide term meaning no major faults but probably several smaller ones
often expected given the age of the book, but still a respectable copy
Good - Meaning not very good. Some more serious faults as will
be described in the condition report under 'condition'
Good Only - Meaning one or more faults that could really do with repair
Fair - As with good only above but with other faults
leaving a compromised copy even after repair
Poor - Really bad and possibly seriously incomplete.
We only sell books in this condition where their rarity or value makes them
attractive none the less. Major defects will be described.
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