The Life of Mahomet. Translated form the French Original, written by the Count of Boulainvilliers

London: Printed for T. Longman, and C. Hitch..., 1752. 12mo, 166 x 100 mms., pp. iv, 294, contemporary lightly speckled calf, gilt borders on covers, raised bands between gilt rules on spine, dark red leather label; some slight rubbing of binding, but a good to very good copy. The French nobleman and writer Henri de Boulainvilliers (1658 - 1722) published works on history, medicine, physics, astrology among other topics, including a translation of Spinoza's Ethics. His Vie de Mahomed was published in 1730, and the first English translation, which is by William Hinchcliffe, in 1731. In the short preface, Hinchcliffe writes that it "can[not] be unreasonable in these our times, when luxury and corruption prevail, when rapine and oppression triumph, when sordid selfishness, and its eternal concomitant, hardness of heart, have swallow'd up all regard to the good of others, all generosity, all humanity, and even common justice; I say, in such times, it cannot be unreasonable to set before men's eyes some amiable examples of the contrary virtuees; nor ought it to be taken amiss if we desire such Christians to learn integrity, temperance, benevolence, and liberailty, even from Saracens, Turks, and Mahometans." Hmmmm. England must have been in a real pickle in 1731.