Don Manoel Gonzales

Don Manoel Gonzales appears to be an assumed name, not a securely identified historical author. Editions of London in 1731 explain that this name was attached to a Voyage to Great Britain, containing an Account of England and Scotland, first printed in the mid-18th century in the Harleian Collection of voyages and travels.

Because the name is a pseudonym, very little dependable personal biography survives. Later editors and booksellers have treated the work as an important travel narrative and social portrait, and some sources note that it has at times been attributed to Daniel Defoe, though that attribution does not seem to be firmly settled.

What has endured is the writing itself: an observant, detailed look at Britain, especially London, that gives modern readers a strong sense of the city's streets, customs, and daily life. For many readers, the mystery of the author only adds to the appeal.