1836 An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians, Written in Egypt During the Years 1833-34, and -35, Partly From Notes Made During a Former Visit to That Country in the Years 1825-26-27 and -28

Description

First Edition, Illustrated, Publishers' Original Binding, Scarce

The first edition of this work. Complete in two volumes. This work is scarcely found in two volumes together. 'An Account of the Manners and Customs of the Modern Egyptians' is an important work, documenting in detail the everyday lives of people in Egypt in the nineteenth century. Lane had already visited Egypt and done work there, but revisited in 1833 to expand upon his notes. Though he did detailed research, he found he was handicapped in writing about women, as there was a social gender segregation in Egypt at this time. This meant he couldn't get a close-up view of Egyptian women. This was a subject of great interest at the time, so he had to rely on the information passed on to him by Egyptian men. Years later, however, he sent his sister, Sophia Lane Poole, to go to women-only areas, and she ended up publishing the work 'The Englishwoman in Egypt'. This work was very well received when it was published, and became a bestseller. Volume I is illustrated with sixteen plates and numerous in-text illustrations. Volume II is illustrated with eleven plates and numerous in-text illustrations. Written by Edward William Lane, an orientalist and translator, who is best known for this work, and also for his translation of 'One Thousand and One Nights'. He begun studying Arabic when he was young, and he was inspired to travel to Egypt in 1825 when he was 24. He lived there for two and half years, mingling with the locals, adopting the culture, and taking notes of everything he saw, did, and heard. This work is a duodecimo. Bookplate to the front pastedowns, 'James Whatman', with his ink inscription to the recto to the front endpaper of Volume II as well. Whatman was an English Liberal politician, who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1852 and 1874 for Maidstone and the Western division of Kent. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquities. He was also a director of the South Eastern Railway. Collated, complete. The first edition of Edward William Lane's fascinating study into the lives of Egyptians, illustrated throughout.