An attractive work produced by the first Oriental press in England. Samuel Rousseau (1763–1820) was a British Oriental scholar and printer. He compiled the first Arabic-English dictionary and translated and printed the first English language editions of several important Arabic works. He was related to Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He started his printing career as an apprentice to John Nichols. Self-taught in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Persian, Arabic, and the Syriac language, after he completed his apprenticeship he set up his own printing business in Leather Lane, Holborn, and later moved to Wood Street, Clerkenwell, where he established the Arabic Press. He commissioned the making of Arabic type and set about translating and printing several classic works of Arabic literature. The press was unfortunately short-lived.

First edition, 8vo, [ii], x, [10]-484, [ii (errata and ads)] pp., text in double columns, Persian and Roman character, old ownership inscription to first blank, rebound in later cloth over marbled boards, paper label. [Bound with] A few Words to the judicious Voters of Pennsylvania, [1854], 39 pp.