SMITH, ALEXANDER. Active 1714-1726. The Court of Venus, or Cupid restor'd to Sight; Being a History of Cuckolds and Cuckold-makers... Volume I: London: printed and sold by J. Baker in Pater-Noster-Row, and A. Dodd without Temple-Bar, 1716. Volume II: London: printed for J. Baker in Pater-Noster-Row, R. Burleigh in Amen-Corner, and A. Dodd without Temple-Bar, 1716. 2 volumes bound in one, 8vo (151 x 82 mm). Title to volume one printed in red and black. Title re-margined at fore edge. Mounted engraved plate of Mrs. Barry inserted (e.g. not part of the publication.) Early 19th-century calf gilt. Covers detached, spine perished. Housed in a 1/2 morocco pull off case. Provenance: Edward Fleetwood Ainge (ms exlibris on second title); Philip Augustus Hanrott (note by next owner on flyleaf); George Daniel (ms. note on flyleaf signed and dated 1834); Clarence S. Bement (his sale American Art Association 28 February and 1st and 2nd March, 1923 lot 346); Robert Norman Ganz (bookplate). FIRST COMPLETE EDITION, although the title-page to the first volume contains the words 'Second Edition', this alludes to the author's 1715 Secret History of the Lives of the most Celebrated Beauties, Ladies of Quality, and Jilts from which this title was enlarged. This rare work is a prime exemplar of the scandalous 'secret history' genre that captivated London during the early Hanoverian period. 'Captain' Alexander Smith (fl. 1714-1726) was a pseudonym utilized by one of the most prolific and popular anonymous hack writers of the late Stuart and early Georgian eras. Though his true identity remains unverified, Smith masterfully capitalized on the public's insatiable appetite for the sensational criminal underbelly of London. Beyond The Court of Venus, he gained lasting notoriety for compiling early true-crime anthologies. His best-known works include the Complete History of the Lives and Robberies of the Most Notorious Highwaymen (1714) and the Thieves' New Canting Dictionary (1719), which provided readers with a glossary of early underworld slang. Smith's writing blends factual reporting with heavily embroidered fiction, laying the groundwork for the modern biographical scandal chronicle. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing