1809 Fragments in Prose and Verse by Miss Elizabeth Smith, Lately Deceased. With Some Account of her Life and Character by Henrietta Maria Bowdler

A scarce early edition of this collection of fragmented papers by the exceedingly gifted linguist and translator Elizabeth Smith (1776-1806), accompanied by biographical notes by the religious author Henrietta Maria Bowdler. Smith's linguistic attainments were mostly self-taught. By her late-twenties, she was fluent in French, Italian, German, Spanish and Hebrew, while also being proficient in Latin, Irish, Persian, and Arabic. She was the first to introduce the works of Meta Klopstock to English readers.

In very good condition with a wonderful engraved frontispiece portrait of Smith. Board hinges and edges a little rubbed, sections of moderate foxing interspersed with clean pages. End notes vol I but appears to be single printing? Bound firmly in the original speckled leather, decorated with gilt edge dentelles, gilt lineation and title label to spine, marbled endpapers. 21 x 13.5 cm. xvi, pp. 274.