The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson

Written by Herself

Spines - Both Volumes:

This lovely two volume set of memoirs is about the life of a certain young lady during the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Harriette was a Courtesan. She had a number of high profile lovers that included two past prime ministers, two future prime ministers, a number of aristocrats, members of Parliament an probably many more. Her attentions were much sought after and eventually she wrote her memoirs where she “tells all” when her blackmailing ways failed to provide her enough income. Her blackmail included the King of England when she came into possession of correspondence between George IV and Lady Conyngham, his mistress.

This book was originally published in 1825. This set was published in 1924 and privately printed by the Navarre Society Limited, London. The books measure 6 Ľ inches by 9 1/8 inches. Volume I contains vii, 1-348 pages. Volume II contains vii, 349-696 pages. The mauve cloth cover has a lovely finish with gilt title and detailing on the front and on the spine. The covers show signs of wear to the hinges, corners and to the top and bottom of the spines. The spines are tight and the hinges are strong. The pages are printed on good quality paper and show no signs of rips or foxing. The top edges of the pages are gilt. The remaining edges are deckled. The illustrations consist of a number of plates and some tissue covered engravings. Exceptions noted, the overall condition of this delightful two volume set is between good plus to near very good.

Front Cover - Volume I

Title Page - Volume I

Frontispiece - Volume I - Harriette Wilson

Sample Text

Excerpt - Note regarding Harriette Wilson:
Harriette Wilson, the daughter of John and Amelia Dubochet, was born in London on February 22, 1786 Her birth is recorded in the Parish Register of St. George, Hanover Square, and her father’s name appears in the List of Rate Payers (1786) as residing at 2 Carrington Street, Mayfair. The house still exists, and its external structure seems to have been unaltered since the time it was built.

In old peerage volumes, Dubochet, whose daughter Sophia married the second Lord Berwick, is vaguely described as M. Dubochet of Switzerland, but there is good reason for assuming that he was a clockmaker. The article on Harriette Wilson in the Dictionary of National Biography states that she was born about 1789, that her father kept a small shop in Mayfair, and that she flourished between the years 1810 and 1825. There can be no question, however, that she was on terms of intimacy, about 1805, with the sixth Duke of Argyle, and that in the following year she became the mistress of John, afterwards Viscount, Ponsonby, a handsome man of whom George IV. Was jealous on account of Lady Conyngham. Ponsonby succeeded as Baron on November 5, 1806, and, as related in the Memoirs, he met Harriette a few weeks before his father’s death…
End excerpt