Biographium faemineum. The Female Worthies: Or, Memoirs of the most illustrious ladies of all ages and nations who have been eminently distinguished for their magnanimity, learning, genius, virtue, piety, and other excellent endowments ... Containing (exclusive of foreigners) the lives of above fourscore British ladies ... Collected from history, and the most approved biographers, and brought down to the present time
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very good
- Seller
-
Portland, Oregon, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Printed for S. Crowder, and J. Payne, 1766. First Edition. Hardcover. Very good. A well-known example of the popular 18th century British genre of collective biographies of women, with more than a hundred short entries on women dating back to ancient times. The subjects include Cleopatra; Sappho; the poet Anne Killigrew, described as "a great genius"; the painter and calligrapher Esther Inglis; the poet Aphra Behn, and so on.
The editor of this collection has never been identified, but it was most likely a man who puts forth a novel argument in the preface that while men were clearly superior to women in the Garden of Eden, a greater equality of the sexes was a consequence of Adam and Eve's fall from grace. The reason for the book is to show by historical example the ideals of womanhood and to counter "these days of vanity and profusion" when upperclass women spend their time in "the theatres, assemblies, the gardens, and card tables."
Two volumes: xxii, [errata leaf], 261, [blank], [blank leaf]; [ii], 272, [1] pages. No half-titles present but the collation appears complete without them.
Somewhat scarce in commerce. The only set to appear in the book auction records in recent times sold for $2880 in 2009. First edition. A very good set bound in contemporary calf and marbled paper-covered boards. Outer joints cracking. This copy has the bookplate of Eliza Gulston, a second-generation book collector and artist. Her father dissipated a vast fortune (£250,000) in large part by buying books prints, which were sold over 38 days in 1786 to pay his debts.
The editor of this collection has never been identified, but it was most likely a man who puts forth a novel argument in the preface that while men were clearly superior to women in the Garden of Eden, a greater equality of the sexes was a consequence of Adam and Eve's fall from grace. The reason for the book is to show by historical example the ideals of womanhood and to counter "these days of vanity and profusion" when upperclass women spend their time in "the theatres, assemblies, the gardens, and card tables."
Two volumes: xxii, [errata leaf], 261, [blank], [blank leaf]; [ii], 272, [1] pages. No half-titles present but the collation appears complete without them.
Somewhat scarce in commerce. The only set to appear in the book auction records in recent times sold for $2880 in 2009. First edition. A very good set bound in contemporary calf and marbled paper-covered boards. Outer joints cracking. This copy has the bookplate of Eliza Gulston, a second-generation book collector and artist. Her father dissipated a vast fortune (£250,000) in large part by buying books prints, which were sold over 38 days in 1786 to pay his debts.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Downtown Brown Books, ABAA (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 308186
- Title
- Biographium faemineum. The Female Worthies: Or, Memoirs of the most illustrious ladies of all ages and nations who have been eminently distinguished for their magnanimity, learning, genius, virtue, piety, and other excellent endowments ... Containing (exclusive of foreigners) the lives of above fourscore British ladies ... Collected from history, and the most approved biographers, and brought down to the present time
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Very good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Printed for S. Crowder, and J. Payne
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1766
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- TA-VBF
- Bookseller catalogs
- WOMEN;
- Note
- May be a multi-volume set and require additional postage.
Terms of Sale
Downtown Brown Books, ABAA
All items are guaranteed as described and may be returned within 30 days for a refund. If the item arrives damaged or does not match the description, we'll refund the purchase price plus shipping.
About the Seller
Downtown Brown Books, ABAA
Biblio member since 2019
Portland, Oregon
About Downtown Brown Books, ABAA
Every book holds a clue. Shop open to the public by appointment only.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- A.N.
- The book is pristine and free of any defects, in the same condition as ...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...