A Pirate Of Exquisite Mind: The Life Of William Dampier

William Dampier, (1651-1715), was an English adventurer and pirate who preyed on ships on the Spanish Main. A unique man ahead of his time, he lived a large part of his life among pirates yet managed to preserve what Coleridge called his "exquisite refinement of mind".

William Dampier, (1651-1715), was an English adventurer and pirate who preyed on ships on the Spanish Main. Poor and ill-educated and determined to make his fortune, he nonetheless had a passion for exploration and scientific research.

Dampier was the first to map the winds and currents of the world''s oceans; led the first recorded party of Englishmen to set foot on Australia - 80 years before Cook; wrote about Galapagos wildlife 150 years before Darwin, who drew on Dampier''s notes in his own work; was the first travel writer: A NEW VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD was instant bestseller when it was published in 1697 - said to have influenced the novels of Swift and Defoe.

A man full of contradictions: he who achieved so much ''blew it'' later in life, declining into scandal, failure and even farce. A unique man ahead of his time, he lived a large part of his life among pirates yet managed to preserve what Coleridge called his "exquisite refinement of mind". A classic example of the best narrative history.

• | Author: Diana Preston, Michael Preston
• | Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
• | Publication Date: Apr 01, 2005
• | Number of Pages:
• | Language:
• | Binding: Paperback / softback
• | ISBN-13: 9780552772105
• | ISBN-10: 0552772100