Miscellanies
By: by M. de Voltaire: containing: I. The pupil of nature. II. The princess of Babylon. III. Zadig; or The book of fate, an oriental history. Translated from the French. With notes, historical and critical. By T. Smollett, M.D. and T. Francklin, A.M.
Contributors: Smollett, T. (Tobias), 1721-1771; Francklin, Thomas, 1721-1784; Drowne, Solomon, 1753-1834; Gifford, James
Publisher: Printed by Robert Bell, in Third-Street.
Published: 1778
Place of publication: Philadelphia
Language: eng
Number of pages: 130
Subjects: Catalogs, Booksellers'; Wyandot Indians; Indians of North America; Noble savage; French Historical fiction; French Romance fiction; Fiction
Notes: "The pupil of nature. By M. de Voltaire. Translated from the French. With notes, historical and critical. By T. Smollett, M.D. and T. Francklin, A.M.", p. [1]-130, [1-2], 2nd and 3rd counts, has separate dated title page with imprint: Philadelphia: Printed by Robert Bell, in Third-Street, M. DCC. LXXVIII [1778]. The French title is "L'ingénu, histoire veritable, tirée des manuscrits du Père Quesnel", first printed [London?], 1767. It tells the story of a Huron called "Child of Nature" who, after having crossed the Atlantic to England, crosses into Brittany, in the 1690s. Upon arrival, a prior notices depictions of his brother and sister-in-law, whom they deduce to be the Huron's parents, making him French. Having grown up outside of European culture, he sees the world in a more 'natural' way, causing him to interpret things directly, unaware of what is customary, leading to comic misinterpretations. After his first confession, he tries to force the priest to confess as well, interpreting a Biblical verse to mean confessions must be made mutually and not exempting the clergy. Not expecting to be baptized in a church, they find the Child of Nature waiting in a stream, as baptisms are depicted in the Bible. The story satirizes religious doctrine, government corruption, and the folly and injustices of French society

"The princess of Babylon", p. [1]-129, [1], 4th and 5th counts, has separate dated title page with imprint: Philadelphia: Printed by Robert Bell, in Third-Street, M. DCC. LXXVIII [1778]. It was first printed in Geneva, in 1768.

"Zadig; or The book of fate: an oriental history of M. de Voltaire. Translated from the French. With notes, historical and critical. By T. Smollett, M.D. and T. Francklin, A.M.", p. [2-4], 6-128, 5th and 6th counts, has separate dated title page with imprint: Philadelphia: Printed by Robert Bell, in Third-Street, M. DCC. LXXVIII [1778]. It was first printed under the title "Memnon, histoire orientale" in [Amsterdam?], 1747.

Signatures: pi² (pi1, pi2 versos blank) [A]⁴ ([1] verso blank) B-Q⁴ R²; [A]⁴ ([1] verso blank) B-Q⁴; [A]⁴ ([1], [A]2 versos blank) B-Q⁴

Bookseller's advertisement, p. [1], 1st count.

Evans, C. American bibliography, 16162.

Hildeburn, C.R. A century of printing: the issues of the press in Pennsylvania, 1685-1784, 3827.

Hildeburn, C.R. A century of printing: the issues of the press in Pennsylvania, 1685-1784, 3828.

Hildeburn, C.R. A century of printing: the issues of the press in Pennsylvania, 1685-1784, 3829.

English short title catalogue W26231.

John Carter Brown Library copy imperfect: wanting p. [1-2], 1st count.

John Carter Brown Library copy bound in contemporary full sheep.

John Carter Brown Library copy acquired with the assistance of the Sophia Augusta Brown Fund.

Provenance of the John Carter Brown Library copy: Solomon Drown's [book]: ms. autograph on recto of front flyleaf and on collective title page leaf; Jame[s] Gifford '89: ms. autograph on recto of front flyleaf.