The Historie of the World in Five Books

Ralegh (Raleigh), Sir Walter.

Published by John Place, London, 1666

About this Item

Very large and heavy book. Additional Shipping Charges may apply. Please inquire.

Good clean copy modern red cloth binding with leather (extended) spine. New end-pages. Title page and first page of contents has (almost invisible) repaired outside edges with no adverse effect on the text. In addition to the 1143 pages of main text, the book also has To The Reader (2 pages), Chronological Table (26 pages), Alphabetical Tables of Contents of the First and Second Books (12 pages), and Alphabetical Table of Contents of the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Books (13 pages). Contents (25 pages) and Preface (32 pages) at the front of the book are not numbered. Some editions contained a Frontispiece that was an engraving of a portrait of Raleigh. This edition does not contain the engraving. The engraving was similar to that found in Raleigh?s biography by Oldys (q.v.).
This book is probably Raleigh?s most notable work. In 1603 Sir Walter Ralegh was judged guilty of treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London to await execution (that did not take place until 1618). The History of the World (1614) offered to king and country his interpretation of events from Creation to 168 BC. Book V, last and lengthiest of the entire work, deals in large part with the struggle between Rome and Carthage. The story of that struggle is Raleigh's most mature historical writing and the most revealing of himself, for when he gave up his plan to carry his history into modern times, the Punic Wars became the context for things about the present that he was loath to leave unsaid.

Seller Inventory # ABE-1777429746427

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Historie of the World in Five Books
• Publisher: John Place, London
• Publication Date: 1666
• Language: English
• Condition: Good
• Dimensions: 8.75W x 13.5H x 4D inches 8.75 inches width by 13.5 inches height by 4 inches depth
• Weight: 8.5 pounds