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الوصف
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By Alex. Russell, M.D., First edition, misdated "1856" for "1756" and given by Russell as gift. A second edition appeared in 1794. "An authoritative account of Turkish life and manners based on Russell's experience as physician to the British factory in Aleppo from 1740 to 1753" (Atabey). "The work was described by Pinkerton as 'one of the most complete pictures of Eastern manners extant'" (Blackmer). The book not only boasts detailed illustrations of the local flora, fauna, and social life, but also extensively discusses the diseases endemic to Syria (especially plague and fever), as well as smoking tobacco, hawking, horses, and the Arab camel. "There are references to coffee on p. 81 [...] and p. 90, and to coffee-houses on p. 91. Two of the plates illustrate domestic scenes of, respectively men smoking and drinking coffee (plate XV), and a woman smoking and being served coffee (plate XVI) [...] Some copies [such as the present one] contain an additional unnumbered plate to face p. 52" (Hünersdorff). The assumption of Hünersdorff and Hasenkamp that this extra plate was "apparently published the following year" would appear to be disproved by the signed and dated ownership on the title page: "Donum Celeberrimi Auctoris Ao. 1756. Schlosser". A good, wide-margined copy, showing very slight browning., Main Heritage Shelves General, QH192 .R96 1756, Book, Item-ID: i16875485, BIB-ID: 1510967, Contains bibliographical references and index. |
