Antiquarian Auctions

Auction #114 begins on 11 Apr 2024

O'Meara (Barry Edward)

LETTERS FROM THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

Published: printed for James Ridgway, 1817, 1817

Edition: First Edition

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vii, 206 pages, half title page, rebound in half brown leather with marbled boards, titled gilt on the spine, a very good copy.

A South African Bibliography volume 3 page 579: preface signed C-------------, Cape of Good Hope. Published anonymously. Name of the author from BM and Halkett and Laing volume 111 page 326.

Published by O’Meara, surgeon to Napoleon 1 at St. Helena in defence of the latter and in answer to William Warden’s Letters written on board His Majesty’s ship the Northumberland and at St. Helena

Only 1 copy listed in SABIB

Barry Edward O'Meara (1786–1836) was an Irish surgeon who accompanied Napoleon to Saint Helena and became his physician, having been surgeon on board the Bellerophon when the emperor surrendered himself.

William Warden (1777–1849) was a British surgeon in the Royal Navy who published a popular account of his conversations with Napoleon Bonaparte.

In 1815, Warden was assigned to the ship of the line HMS Northumberland as it transported Bonaparte to his exile on St. Helena Island. During the voyage and for several months later on the island, Warden had extensive conversations through a translator with Bonaparte. Warden later sent a journal of these conversations to London for publication in 1816.

The publication of Warden's Letters caused a furor in England. Critics claimed that the book was ghostwritten and was historically inaccurate. The Admiralty treated Warden book as a breach of discipline and removed him from the list of ship surgeons in the fleet. However, he was later reassigned to the hospital ship Argonaut. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Warden_(Royal_Navy_officer)

 

 

 

 

 

  • Overall Condition: A Very Good Copy
  • Size: 8vo (220 x140mm)
  • Sold By: Clarke's Africana & Rare Books
  • Contact Person: Paul Mills
  • Country: South Africa
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Telephone: 021 794 0600
  • Preferred Payment Methods: Visa & Mastercard via PayGate secure links and Bank transfers.
  • Trade Associations: ABA - ILAB, SABDA


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