lineThe Novel

http://pierre-marteau.com/novels.htmlline

[Gildon, Charles] The best Wits of the present Age,
The Post-Man Robb'd of his Mail (London: A. Bettesworth/ C. Rivington, 1719).

THE| POST-MAN| Robb'd of his MAIL:| OR, THE| Packet broke open.| BEING| A Collection of Miscellaneous| LETTERS, Serious and Co-|mical, Amorous and Gallant.| Amongst which are, The| LOVER'S SIGHS:| OR,| The AMOURS of the Beautiful Stre-|munia and Alphonso the Wise, King| of Castile, and Aragon, and Earl of Provence;| with her Passionate LETTERS to the| King on his chusing another Mistress.| [rule]| In Five BOOKS.| [rule]| By the best Wits of the present Age.| [rule]| London: Printed for A. Bettesworth, at the| Red Lion, in Pater-noster-row; and C. Riving-|ton, at the Bible and Crown in St. Paul's| Church-Yard. M DCC XIX. Price 3 s.

Description

p.[i] blank/ p.[ii] books published by Charles Gildon, Complete Art of Poetry (1719)/ p.[iii] titlepage/ p.[v]-viii dedication: Samuel Garth/ p.[ix]-xvi "Sir Roger de Whimsey's Preface"/ p.1-340/ [4] pp. Contents/ 12°.

Shelf-markslink

{L: 1081.c.23} {L: 1607/4065} {O: Hope 8°815} {NA:MH: 15493.16.28.115.}.

Bibliographical Reference

ESTC: t072012.

Author

Gildon, Charles - likely with the advertisement for books published by Gildon and with de Whimsey's, preface in which de Whimsey pretends to be also the author of the preceding The Post-boy Rob'd of his Mail: or, The Pacquet Broke Open (London: J. Dunton, 1692)link - the dedication of which was then signed with Gildon's initials. Gildon's Art of Poetry is mentioned p.269.

History of Publication

The Post-boy Rob'd of his Mail: or, The Pacquet Broke Open (London: J. Dunton, 1692).link

Remarks

De Whimsey (his name and his remarks about longevity being widespread in his family move him in the realm of dubious if not fictional characters) uses the preface to cast doubts on the alleged authenticity of the collected letters: he claimes to have written the volume now succeeding The Post-boy Rob'd of his Mail: or, The Pacquet Broke Open (London: J. Dunton, 1692).link Stylistically the Tatler, the Spectator or the Lay Monk gave models. Cervantes and Fontenelle stand among the authors who offered inspiration (p.xii). - The letters deal with individual topis and are intendedly amateurish in style.

o.s.