Item #47640 Sixty Curious and Authentic Narratives and Anecdotes respecting Extraordinary Characters; Illustrative of the tendency of Credulity and Fanaticism, exemplifying the imperfections of Circumstantial Evidence; and recording singular instances of Voluntary Human Suffering. William Hone, Curious, Bizarre.
Sixty Curious and Authentic Narratives and Anecdotes respecting Extraordinary Characters; Illustrative of the tendency of Credulity and Fanaticism, exemplifying the imperfections of Circumstantial Evidence; and recording singular instances of Voluntary Human Suffering.

Sixty Curious and Authentic Narratives and Anecdotes respecting Extraordinary Characters; Illustrative of the tendency of Credulity and Fanaticism, exemplifying the imperfections of Circumstantial Evidence; and recording singular instances of Voluntary Human Suffering.

London: Richard Beckley, 1822. "A New Edition" [Second edition]. Hardcover. Small octavo. xii + 288pp. Original (?) publisher's cloth with lettered spine label. Frontispiece: "Execution of Madame Tiquet & her porter at Paris in 1699 ..." by H.R. Cook, after G. Cruikshank. Title-page in red and black. A collection of curiosities, divided into six broad sections: Extraordinary Characters; Credulity and Fanaticism; Interesting Occurences; Circumstanial Evidence; Voluntary Suffering. Each section is divided into a number of sub-chapters exploring odd and unusual events and individuals. The section on Voluntary Suffering, for example, is intended to display "a few examples of a species of misery arising out of the perversity of human nature" with chapters on Simeon Stylites; Pranporee; Indian Widows; Conscientious Murder; Female Infanticide, Processions of Pentinents in Spain and Portugal; Penance by Proxy; The Indian Penance of Five Fires; Matthew Lovat. Slight wear to corners and rubbing to boards, page-edges browned, title-page somewhat darkened, previous owner's name on front free endpaper, pencil annotations on rear pastedown, small fore-edge chip from page 19/20, otherwise a solid VG or better copy. Item #47640

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