Gibbon

réf. 65806 — Printed at Leominster Massachusetts by Salmon Wilder for John Whiting of Lancaster 1805. FIRST AMERICAN EDITION. 12mo. 14.5 x 8.5 cm. pp.171. Contemporary sheep spine with four gilt rules. Old ownership inscription of 'G Freeman' to front free endpaper; embossed stamp of 'F.M. O'Brien Bookseller New and Antiquarian Portland Maine' to final blank. Some light spotting and browning throughout title-page with small tear to bottom margin and small perforation just under the name 'Mahomet' marginal loss affecting text to first page generally a very good unsophisticated copy. 'The Life of Mahomet' was extracted from Gibbon's best known work 'The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' to be published separately. At the time of publication printed works relating to Islam were rare as its few practitioners in the United States had arrived as part of the slave trade and the practicing of Islam was forbidden on plantations with nearly all slaves forced to convert to Christianity upon their arrival. Wilder 1780-1832 was a minor printer in central Massachusetts and later New Hampshire. The John Whiting 1760-1810 for whom the work was printed was likely the Revolutionary War soldier and lieutenant colonel in the 4th U.S. Infantry. Printed at Leominster [Massachusetts], by Salmon Wilder, for John Whiting, of Lancaster, 1805. unknown