Description:

Roosevelt Franklin 1882 - 1945 Twice-signed book from Franklin D. Roosevelt's library: "John De Lancaster," an 1809 British novel with anti-Semitic overtones. Book signed "Franklin D. Roosevelt / 1929 / a rare old novel" in pencil on inside leaf attached to front cover and "Franklin D. Roosevelt / Hyde Park / Very fine copy" in ink on the front free-endpaper, 293 pages, 4.5" x 7.5". Uncut. Title page: "John De Lancaster. / A Novel. / by / Richard Cumberland, Esq. / in two volumes / Vol. I / New York: / Printed for E. Sargeant, corner of Broadway and / Wall-Street, Opposite Trinity Church, / and M. & W. Ward, No. 4 City Hotel, / by D. & G. Bruce. / 1809." Some pencil marks on signature leaves. Pages waved, some foxing. Gray boards with spine worn away, lower portion missing. Original label on spine "John / De Lancaster / Vol. I" worn. Front board detached at spine.

British author Richard Cumberland (1732-1811) wrote plays, novels, poems, essays, odes, etc. Among his works were a collection of essays entitled "The Observer" (1785) and "The Jew" (1794). It is generally agreed that Cumberland was sympathetic to the plight of the Jew and the existence of anti-Semitism in England and that his goal in writing "The Jew" was to promote tolerance of Jews. Cumberland's last novel, "John De Lancaster," seemed to do just the opposite. In 1809, Sir Walter Scott reviewed "John de Lancaster," in "Quarterly Review." In part, "The descendants of Israel were heretofore favourites with Mr. Cumberland. The characters of Abraham Abrahams in the ‘Observer,' of Sheva in the ‘Jew,' even of Nicolas Pedrosa in the lively tale which bears his name, are honourable and able testimonies of his efforts to stem popular prejudice in favour of a people, degraded because they are oppressed, and ridiculed because they are degraded. Apparently, however, he hath repented him of his inclination towards the Jews, for not only do this same Mrs Ap Owen and her son exhibit characters the most base, malicious, and detestable, but their descent from the stock of Abraham is thrown at their heads by all who speak of them, and is obviously held out as one source at least of their enormities. There is a singular passage in Mr Cumberland's Memoirs, from which it would seem that the guilt of negligence at least, if not of ingratitude, worse than witchcraft, has, in his opinion, attached to the synagogue. Perhaps this may be one cause why he now spits upon their Jewish gaberdine...The character of David Ap Owen also opens gradually on the reader. He first pinches the tail of a lap-dog: secondly, he gallops past young John de Lancaster, in hunting, and maliciously bespatters him with mud and gravel, to the great damage of his clothes, and danger of his precious eyesight : thirdly, this ‘Jew-born miscreant,' as De Lancaster terms him, insults the youthful heir of Kray Castle at a festive meeting of the family harpers..."

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