| Sir Walter Raleigh — The Discoverie of the Large, Rich and Bewtiful Empire of Guiana, with a relation of the great and Golden Citie of Manoa (which the Spanyards Call El Dorado) And of the Provinces of Emeria, Arromaia, Amapaia, and other Countries |
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The Discoverie of the Large, Rich and Bewtiful Empire of Guiana, with a relation of the great and Golden Citie of Manoa (which the Spanyards Call El Dorado) And of the Provinces of Emeria, Arromaia, Amapaia, and other Countries |
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4to., (7 x 5 inches). Woodcut device on title-page, head-and tail-pieces and initials (a few headlines shaved). 20th-century red morocco by Riviere, all edges gilt. Provenance: Small library label of John L. Clawson on the front paste-down. "One of the supreme works of Elizabethan Travel literature" (Smith). First Edition, third issue, with page 60, line 12 starting "it, there". Raleigh's account of his second voyage, which took him to modern Venezuela in search of the mythical city of gold El Dorado. Although the city was not found, Raleigh argued that Guiana had the potential to yield many riches, and be an advantageous English stronghold against the Spanish: "Guiana is a Country that hath yet her Maydenhead, never sackt, turned, nor wrought, the face of the earth hath not beene torne, not the virtue and salt of the soyule spent by manurance, the graves have not beene opened for gold, the mines not broken with sledges, nor their Images puld down out of their temples. It hath never been entered by any armie of strength, and never conquered or possessed by any Chrisitian Prince. It is besides so defensible, that if two fortes be builded in one of the provinces which I have seen, the flood setteth in so neere the banke, where the channel also lyeth, that no shippe can passé up, but with Pikes length of the Artillerie, first of the one, and afterwards of the other " (Raleigh pages 96-97). Shakespeare is believed to have obtained his knowledge of the "still vexed Bermoothes" for "The Tempest" from this book. Alden & Landis 596/85; Church 254; Sabin 67553; Christopher Smith "Britiannia Biography" online; STC 20636. Purchased at Christie's 16th December 2004, lot 195. |
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