Montagu, Mary Wortley.

The Works of the Right Honorable Lady Mary Wortley Montagu – Including Her Correspondence, Poems, and Essays. Published by Permission from Her Genuine Papers. [Including a Facsimile – “Extract from a letter written by Lady Montagu Wortleyfrom Belgrade to Mr. Wortley at Pera, describing the effects of inoculation for the Small Pox”].

First Edition. In Five Volumes (complete set). London, Printed for Richard Phillips, 1803. Small Octavo. Volume I: Portrait-Frontispiece of Lady Montagu by Sir Godfrey Kneller, V,309, [1] pages with 11 illustrations/folded facsimiles (including frontispiece) / Volume II: XI, 339 pages / Volume III: 288 pages / Volume IV: 326 pages / Volume V: 292 pages plus 36 unnumbered pages of an Index. Hardcover / Original, very decorative full leather-bindings of the early 19th century with original spine-labels and gilt lettering on spine. Besides some minor rubbing and some minor discoloration to the spines from white paint, the complete set is in firm and overall very good condition with only minor signs of wear. Previous owner’s name in ink on

Illustrations and Letters in this set include:

1. Frontispiece – Portrait of Lady Montagu by Sir Godfrey Kneller
2. Memorandum to Mr. Benjamin Sowden (Facsimile of a Note written by Lady Montagu “Written on the cover of her MS. [Manuscript] book of letters.
3. A Letter relative to her first Experiment of Inoculation for the Small pox (Facsimile – “Extract from a letter written by Lady Montagu Wortleyfrom Belgrade to Mr. Wortley at Pera, describing the effects of inoculation for the small Pox”).
4. Facsimile of a Letter from Mr.Addison to Mr.Wortley
5. Facsimile of Mr.Pope’s Letter
6. Facsimile of Mr.Pope’s Verses
7. Facsimile of the Duchess of Marlborough’s Letter
8. Facsimile of Dr.Young’s Letter
9. Facsimile of Mr.Fielding’s Letter
10. Portrait of Lady Mary Pierrepont
11. Facsimile of the “Attestation of the Poems″

Including a “Sketch of Descent” for Lady Mary Pierrpont, afterward Wortley Montague, from William Fielding – Earl of Denbigh to George Fielding, Earl of Desmond. The second line of Descent leads to Henry Fielding.


Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (née Pierrepont; 15 May 1689 – 21 August 1762) was an English aristocrat, writer, and poet. Born in 1689, Lady Mary spent her early life in England. In 1712, Lady Mary married Edward Wortley Montagu, who later served as the British ambassador to the Sublime Porte. Lady Mary joined her husband on the Ottoman excursion, where she was to spend the next two years of her life. During her time there, Lady Mary wrote extensively on her experience as a woman in Ottoman Istanbul. After her return to England, Lady Mary devoted her attention to the upbringing of her family before dying of cancer in 1762.

Lady Mary is today chiefly remembered for her letters, particularly her Turkish Embassy Letters describing her travels to the Ottoman Empire, as wife to the British ambassador to Turkey, which Billie Melman describes as “the very first example of a secular work by a woman about the Muslim Orient”. Aside from her writing, Mary is also known for introducing and advocating for smallpox inoculation to Britain after her return from Turkey. Her writings address and challenge the hindering contemporary social attitudes towards women and their intellectual and social growth. (Wikipedia)

• Keywords: Catalogue Nine – Medicine · Catalogue No.10 – International Literature · Catalogue Ten – International Literature · Catalogue Three – Literature by Women · English Literature – Rare · English Literature by Women – 17th Century · English Literature by Women – 18th Century · English Literature of the 17th century · English Literature of the 18th Century · History of Inoculation · History of Inoculation (Smallpox) · History of Medicine · Medicine – Rare · Vaccine · Women and Literature · Women Authors · Women in History · Women in History – Rare · Women in Literature
• Language: English
• Inventory Number: 31352AB

EUR 1.280,--