1696. An ESSAY in Defense of the FEMALE SEX

JUDITH DRAKE (1670's-1723), English Feminist Intellectual & Writer

1696, together, two works in one volume.
The first, 1696, 2nd edition; scarce;
the 2nd, 1696, 1st edition; apparently never reissued, with dedication signed Ez. Symson (blocked out, as typical)
Printed for Abel Roper and Elizabeth Wilkinson

Two important early works on women's rights.

The first item is the first English feminist tract, first published the same year, also attributed to Mary Astell but now generally accepted to be by Judith Drake whose husband wrote the commendatory verses at the beginning. The treatise is a defence against male accusations of ignorance, vanity, enviousness etc. of women and also addresses the faults of men, particularly satirizing some of her contemporaries.

The second work contains a dedication to the Countess of Kildare signed by "Ez. Symson" (inked out in this copy, and some others), and has been variously attributed to Mary Astell, Judith Drake, and H. Wyatt. It was written either in response to, or as a continuation of, An Essay in Defense of the Female Sex, and contains chapters on Modesty, Piety, Knowledge, Economy, the Rule, Business, and Peace. The subjects of the character sketches are a Coquette, Hypocrites, the Conceited Female, a Gamester, and the Litigious.

The first work ran into several editions, all of which are scarce; but the 2nd does not appear to have been reissued

An ESSAY in Defense of the FEMALE SEX. In which are inserted the
CHARACTERS OF a Pedant, A Squire, A Beau,, A Vertuoso, A Poetaster,
A City-Critick, &c. In a Letter to a Lady. Written by a Lady. The Second Edition."
LONDON,
Printed for A. Roper and E. Wilkinson at the Black Boy,
and R. Clavel at the Peacock, in Fleetstreet, 1696 (148 pages),

bound with :
A Farther ESSAY Relating to the FEMALE SEX (115 pages)

both include dedications, prefaces, contents, & one engraved illustration
hard cover, 7"x 4-1/4", in later signed fine binding by ESTES & LAURAIT, BOSTON
(signed at top of a front free endpaper), 3/4 calf , marbling
Boards detached,wear & damage to ribbed gilt titled spine, final advertisement page and endpapers detached.
Text block securely bound, clean & fine.

Contains
Illustration : engraved frontispiece, " THE COMPLEAT BEAU"
(cropped at foot with loss of 1 line of caption, as often)
Dedication : "To Her Royal Highsess the Princess Anne of Denmark"
(5 pp starting A1)
PREFACE, 13 ppl (a poem by James Drake)
"To the Most Ingenious Mrs. -- or her Admirable Defence of Her Sex."
(3 pp,starting Ai, signed " James Drake")

(an advertising page ?)
"Love for Money : or, The Boarding School, a comedy, acted at the Theatre Royal.
"The State of Innocence : or, The Fall of Man, an Opera, written by Mr. Dryden
Both printed for A. Roper ...

pages 1- 148
"An Essay In Defense of the Female Sex, &c"
followed by : The Contents (4 pages)

pages 1 - 115
"A Farther ESSAY Relating to the FEMALE- SEX
containing Six Characters and Six Perfections,

with the description of SELF-LOVE
to which is added A CHARACTER of a Compleat Beau
London, printed for A. Roper and E. Wilkinson at the Black Boy in FleetStreet

Dedication : "To the Right Honourable, and Vertuous Lady, the Lady Elizabeth, Countess of Kildare"
(5 pp, starting A1, signed "Ez. Symson")
"The PREFACE", 2 pp;

pages 1 - 115. text, starting with
The Character of a Coquette, Chapter 1... through
"The Character of A Compleat Beau"

followed by 5 pages :
A Catalogue of Books, Printed for and Sold by Abel Roper and Elizabeth Wilkinson ...


................................................................................... $ 6,500.