Notes and Queries, Number 62, January 4, 1851Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 62, January 4, 1851
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
"The History of the Sevarites or Sevarambi, a nation inhabiting part of
the third continent, commonly called Terrae Australes Incognitae; with an
account of their admirable government, religion, customs, and language.
Written by one Captain Siden, a worthy person, who, together with many
others, was cast upon those coasts, and lived many years in that
country. London: printed for Henry Brome, at the Gun, at the west end
of St. Paul's Churchyard, 1675. 12mo. pp. 114." No preface.
There is a second part, "more wonderful and delightful than the first,"
published in 1679 (pp. 140.). The licence by Roger Lestrange bears date
Feb. 25. 1678/9. There is a short preface, without signature, arguing that
the country of the Sevarites is not fabulous.
A copy of the original edition of these two parts is in the British Museum.
Shortly after its publication in England, this work appeared in France with
the following title:--
"Histoire des Sevarambes, peuples qui habitent une partie du troisieme
continent ordinairement appelle Terre Australe, contenant un compte
exact du gouvernement, des moeurs, de la religion et du langage de
cette nation, jusques aujourd'hui inconnue aux peuples de l'Europe.
Traduite de l'Anglois." First Part, Paris, 1677. 2 vols. 12mo. Second
Part, 1678-9. 3 vols. 12mo.
Both parts are dedicated to Monsieur Riquet, Baron de Bonrepos; and the
dedications are both signed with the initials D.V.D.E.L.
The British Museum contains no French edition of this work earlier than an
Amsterdam reprint of 1716. The above account of the early French edition is
taken from the _Dictionnaire Historique_ of Prosper Marchand (La Haye,
1758), tom. i. p. 11., art. ALLAIS. This article (which may be cited as a
model of bibliographical research) attributes the authorship of the
_Histoire des Sevarambes_, upon evidence, which, if not conclusive, is very
strong, to Denis Vairasse, or Vayrasse. Marchand explains the initials
appended to the dedications of the French edition to mean, _Denis Vairasse
d'Allais en Languedoc_. He likewise considers _Siden_ as the anagram of
_Denis_; and _Sevarias_, the legislator of the Sevarambians, as the anagram
of _Vairasse_. Some of the religious opinions expressed in this fiction
were thought bold, and the authorship of the work was at one time much
discussed: it was attributed both to Isaac Vossius and Leibnitz. It was
translated into Dutch, German, and Italian; and there is an English
edition, London, 1738, in 1 vol. 8vo., in which the preface from the French
edition, alluding to Plato's _Republic_, More's _Utopia_, and Bacon's _New
Atlantis_, not to be found in the original English edition, is introduced.
This volume is entitled--
"The History of the Sevarambians, a people of the south continent, in
five parts, containing, &c. Translated from the Memoirs of Capt. Siden,
who lived fifteen years amongst them."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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