A HUMOUROUS HISTORY OF NEW YORK, FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THE END OF THE DUTCH DYNASTY. Containing, Among Many Surprising and Curious Matters, the Unutterable Ponderings of Walter the Doubter, The Disastrous Projects of William the Testy, and the Chivalric Achievements of Peter the Headstrong, the Three Dutch Governors of New Amsterdam: Being the only Authentic History of the Times that Ever Hath Been Published.

A New Edition, very early printed after the first edition. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece. 8vo, contemporary 3/4 calf over marbled paper covered boards, the spine with raised bands decorated in gilt, the compartments with gilt tooling at the centers, lettered in gilt on a green morocco lettering label. xvi, 494 pp. A very good copy, well bound, still tight and sound and clean internally, with minor rubbing to the calf as expected.

Edizione: a new york story and an early printing with illustration. a whimsical history of the city by the mythical diedrich knickerbocker. washington irving’s talents as a humorist were most notably displayed in this “history”, first published in 1809. irving’s original motive in writing the book was to “burlesque a pretentious disquisition on the history of the city in a guidebook by dr. samuel mitchell. the idea expanded as irving proceeded, and he ended by not merely satirizing the pedantry of local antiquaries, but by creating a distinct literary type out of the solid dutch burgher whose phlegm had long been an object of ridicule to the mercurial americans. though far from the most finished of irving’s productions, (this work) manifests the most original power, and is the most genuinely national in its quaintness and drollery. the very tardiness and prolixity of the story are skilfully made to heighten the humourous effect.” [ency britt] irving has created a singular work of early american humor.