‘Memoirs of ****. Commonly known by the Name of George Psalmanazar; A Reputed Native of Formosa. Written by himself in order to be published after his Death’

To build his credibility among the English elite, George Psalmanazar cultivated an ‘exotic’ self-image, in line with contemporary ideas about foreign cultures created by existing travel accounts varying in reliability. Gaining allies by converting to Anglicanism in London and catering to the appetite for accounts of inaccessible faraway lands, Psalmanazar briefly acquired a reputation as a fascinating and worldly individual specialising in the geography of Formosa. Jonathan Swift mentioned him in his pamphlet ‘A Modest Proposal’ (1729) as ‘the famous Psalamanazar, a native of the island of Formosa, who came from thence to London, above twenty years ago.’ However, Psalmanazar’s explanations soon provoked criticism among other travellers, especially Jesuits who had visited South Asia as missionaries, bringing back vital information about the region. Exposed as an impostor, Psalmanazar lost his fame and fortune. As a result, Psalamanazar went in search of alternative life paths, but did not abandon his literary ambitions, including in the field of geographical studies. In his contribution to ‘A Complete System of Geography’ (1747), he summarised contemporary knowledge about the conditions in Formosa, referring to his own account as a hoax. Psalamazanar prepared ‘Memoirs of ****’ to be published only after his death, meaning it to serve as an examination of conscience and a theological treatise explaining his conversion to Anglicanism. In it, he gave an account of his life and explained the motives which had driven him to present himself as East Asian. He did not reveal his true name, which remains a mystery to this day.