Johnson, Capt. Charles | Brigands and Pirates

Johnson, Capt. Charles

A General History of the Lives and Adventures of the Most Famous Highwaymen, Murderers, Street Robbers, etc. To which is added A Genuine Account of the Voyages and Plunders of the Most Notorious Pyrates. London: Printed for & Sold by J. Janeway, 1734

Folio (356 x 229 mm). Engraved frontispiece and 25 engraved plates most by J. Basire after W. Jett and J. Nicholls, extra-illustrated with a folding plate of Jack Shepherd printed and sold by T. Bowles, title-page printed in red and black, text in double columns; title-page rather browned, some browning, spotting and staining particularly in latter half of text, 3 plates browned and stained, pp. 4, 177-184, 324-325, 410 misnumbered 8, 187-194, 326-327, 406, with "they" as the catchword on p. 1 of the introduction. Contemporary calf, marbled endpapers and edges, upper board detached, spine ends repaired, lower hinge renewed.

Johnson's famous compilation of excerpts from Alexander Smith's History of the Lives of the Most Noted Highwaymen, published 1714 (see Lot 560) and Johnson's own earlier publication A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most Notorious Pyrates (1724). The book was published in 72 weekly numbers. "Charles Johnson" is thought to be pseudonym, and although his work was attributed to Defoe in the 1930s, this claim has since been generally rejected. Featured in this rogues' gallery are outlaws Sir John Falstaff and Robin Hood and pirates Henry Morgan and Blackbeard, among many others.

REFERENCE:

ESTC T112552

PROVENANCE:

William Raven (ticket on rear pastedown dated 1737) — Richard John Smith 1776–1855, a.k.a. O[bi] Smith, of the Adelphi Theatre (2 engraved bookplates on front pastedown, one of which depicts Smith as the Demon Samiel in Der Freishut) — Henry Cunliffe Armigeri (1826–1894, bookplate on front pastedown)