"Memoirs of Richard Cumberland: Written by Himself. Containing an Account of His Life and Writings, Interspersed with Anecdotes and Characters of Several of the Most Distinguished Persons of his Time with whom he has had intercourse and connexion." Published by Brisban and Brannan, New York, 1806. [The zero in '1806' on the title page is corrected to '1' [1816 instead of 1806], however, only the 1806 edition by this publisher is known to exist]. First American Edition published without Index.

Hard boards, leather, [surface wear, stains, creases between spine and boards, boards are attached: see photos]; front endpaper is missing, faded inscription on the last blank page; 356 pages, some foxing, very good condition.

Richard Cumberland (1731/2-1811) was an English dramatist and civil servant. In 1771, his hit play "The West Indian" was first staged. During the American War of Independence, he acted as a secret negotiator with Spain in an effort to secure a peace agreement between the two nations. He also edited a short-lived critical journal called 'The London Review' (1809). His plays are often remembered for their sympathetic depiction of characters generally considered to be on the margins of society.

The existence of his memoirs is largely due to his friend, the critic Richard Sharp, (Conversation Sharp) who together with Samuel Rogers and Sir James Burges (Sir James Lamb, 1st Baronet) gave considerable support to the endeavor.

Provenance:

From the library of Lemuel Hastings Arnold, signed on the title page "Lem. H. Arnold. 1818".

Lemuel Hastings Arnold (1792-1852) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A Whig, he served as the 12th Governor of the State of Rhode Island and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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