London: Sir Richard Phillips and Co., 1822. Hardcover. Roger O'Connor (1762-1834) was an Irish nationalist and writer, known for the controversies surrounding his life and writings, notably his fanciful history of the Irish people, the Chronicles of Eri. He was the brother of Irish nationalist Arthur O'Connor (1763-1852). While living in Paris, O'Connor prepared the Chronicles of Eri (1822), a book purporting to be a translation of ancient manuscripts detailing the early history of the Irish people. It was dedicated to his friend and supporter Sir Francis Burdett. The book was prefaced by a portrait of O'Connor holding a crown, the caption to which proclaimed that he was the "Head of his Race" and "Chief of the prostrated people of his nation", a position he claimed as the supposed lineal descendant of the 12th-century king Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair. According to O'Connor, he had attempted to write this book three times before, but had been frustrated by the machinations of his enemies, who stole his manuscripts. Another version of the book had been destroyed in the disastrous fire at Dangan in 1809. The book gives a history of the Gaels from supposed records written by "Eolus", who is said to have lived fifty years after Moses. It claims a continuous existence of the Gaelic people, originating among the ancient Phoenicians, migrating to Scythia, Spain and then Ireland. O'Connor interpreted Biblical stories and medieval Irish lore to support this narrative. William John Fitzpatrick in the Dictionary of National Biography stated that the book is "mainly, if not entirely, the fruit of O'Connor's imagination"[Wikipedia] Bound in three quarter brown leather with marbled paper boards. Gilt titling and interesting gilt decorations to spine. Leather is scuffed and bumped, and marbled paper boards are scuffed and abraded. Interior pages are generally clean and bright with occasional light foxing and with some offsetting to pages opposite plates and maps. Volume I has a frontis portrait of Roger O'Connor and four fold-out maps. Volume II has a fold-out hand colored plate and a purported facsimile of the roll of the laws of Er-i. Someone has written erroneously on the free front endpaper of Volume I: "Arthur O'Connor /[?] Irishman/Author of this Book/Died 25 April 1852/Age 89 Years." Very good conditon. Octavo. Volume I: xiv,91, ccclxii; Volume II: 509 pages + 3 pages of publisher advertisements. IRELAND/032421. Very Good.

Item #35028

Price: $700.00