THE RIVAL PRINCES; Or, A Faithful Narrative of Facts, Relating to Mrs. M. A. Clarke's Political Acquaintance with Colonel Wardle, Major Dodd, &c. &c. &c. Who Were Concerned in the Charges Against the Duke of York; Together with a Variety of Authentic and Important Letters, and Curious and Interesting Anecdotes of Several Persons of Political Notoriety by Mary Anne Clarke. Two Volumes in One.

New-York: Published by David Longworth (E. M. Blunt & Co.), September, 1810.

Price: $200.00


About the item

First (American) edition. Lacking frontispiece portrait. Unprinted front wrapper is detached and a bit chipped, but present. Lacking fragile spine (but original delicate sewn binding intact], moderate early soiling and browning to both covers, text is uniformly tanned, else a good to very good copy.

Item #334762

Mary Anne (Thompson) Clarke (1776–1852) was the mistress of Frederick, Duke of York. She became his mistress in 1803, while he was Commander-in-Chief of the Army. In 1809 it was discovered that she had been selling army commissions, causing a national scandal, leading to York's resignation; he was later exonerated and reinstated. Mrs. Clarke was prosecuted for libel in 1813 and imprisoned, and she later moved to France. She is also the author of a book of memoirs, and 'A Letter Addressed to the Right Honourable William Fitzgerald.'.