GREEK HISTORY.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Athenian Letters: or, the Epistolary Correspondence of an Agent of the King of Persia, Residing at Athens During the Peloponnesian War. First illustrated edition, and the first authorized public one. These fictitious letters, describing Athens during the Peloponnesian War, were the work of a circle of Cambridge dons and students including the Bluestocking Catherine Talbot (1721-1770), who is named in the author key to this edition. Athenian Letters names more than one prominent female letter-writer from antiquity, real and fictive.The work's instigators, Philip Yorke, second Earl of Hardwicke (1720-90), and his brother Charles (1722-70), are pictured in the frontispieces. The first edition of 1741 consisted of 12 copies, followed by 100 in 1781, and a pirated edition.

Found via Rare Books Intel, a search across rare-book dealers, auction houses and marketplaces worldwide.