{"product_id":"hey-presto-hugh-ormsby-lennon-9781644531150","title":"Hey Presto!: Swift and the Quacks","description":"In this book the author reveals how medicine shows, both ancient and modern, galvanized Jonathan Swift's imagination and inspired his wittiest satiric voices. Swift dubbed these multifaceted traveling entertainments his \u003ci\u003eStage-itinerant\u003c\/i\u003e or \"Mountebank's Stage.\" In the course of arguing that the stage-itinerant formed an irresistible model for \u003ci\u003eA Tale of a Tub\u003c\/i\u003e, Ormsby-Lennon also surmises that the mountebank's stage will disclose that missing link, long sought, which connects the twin objects of Swift's ire: gross corruptions in both religion and learning. In the early modern medicine show, the quack doctor delivered a loquacious harangue, infused with magico-mysticism and pseudoscience, high-astounding promises, and boastful narcissism. To help him sell his panaceas and snake-oil, he employed a Merry Andrew and a motley troupe of performers. From their stages, many quacks also peddled their own books, almanacs, and other ephemera, providing Grub Street with many of its best-sellers. Hacks practiced, quite literally, as quacks. Merry Andrew and mountebank traded costumes, whiskers, and voices. Swift apes them all in the \u003ci\u003eTale\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Published by University of Delaware Press. Distributed worldwide by Rutgers University Press.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Hugh Ormsby-Lennon\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1644531151\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781644531150\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of Delaware Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/24\/2011\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 414\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.39lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.92d","brand":"Hugh Ormsby-Lennon","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":47425357021439,"sku":"9781644531150","price":62.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_9be3fba6-6841-482b-b45b-ed71a00cfefe.jpg?v=1761538658","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/hey-presto-hugh-ormsby-lennon-9781644531150","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}