[MAGAZINES - HISTORICAL]. [GAY INTEREST]. The Boston Magazine for June 1784. Boston: Norman, White and Freeman, 1784. 8vo. Illustrated with 2 engraved plates, one of a cross-dressing man - the other of The Horned Viper of Egypt. [313]-358 pp. Bound in modern marbled paper, the rare original wrappers bound-in. 

Original wrappers toned, soiled, chipped at bottom, ownership signature on front wrapper, text toned and dampstained throughout. Very good. The Boston Magazine was the first magazine published in Boston after the American Revolution. Front wrapper has woodcut of the State House, and the rear wrapper has two ads, including an ad for James Foster Condy, who participated in the Boston Tea Party. The first article (with accompanying plate) is "Memoirs of Mademoiselle D'Eon de Beaumont; commonly called the Chevalier D'Eon." D'Eon (1728-1810) was a French soldier, spy, and diplomat, "arguably the most famous male crossdresser in history..." (Bolich, Crossdressing in Context p. 105). The accompanying plate depicts D'Eon dressed in half male costume and half female. Also included is an article ("Description of Experiments made with the Aerostatic Machine") that records early balloon ascents by the Montgolfier brothers and others in France.