The History of the Province of New-York, from the First Discovery to the Year M.DCC.XXXII. To which is annexed, A Description of the Country, with a short Account of the Inhabitants, their Trade, Religious and Political State, and the Constitution of the Courts of Justice in that Colony
THE FIRST HISTORY OF NEW YORK
London: Printed for Thomas Wilcox, 1757. First edition.
Quarto (10 3/8” x 7 7/8”, 263mm x 201mm): A4 a2 B-Kk4, binder’s blank [$2 signed; –A1]. 134 leaves, pp. i-vii vii-xii 1 2-255, blank [= xii, 256]. With a folding engraved plate.
Bound in contemporary calf (re-backed, with the original spine-label laid down). On the spine, five raised bands. Title gilt to black morocco in the second panel. All edges of the text-block speckled red.
Rebacked (with the original spine-label laid down). Fore-corners rebuilt. Wear generally. Internally evenly tanned, but largely without foxing. Good margins (generally greater than 35mm).
William Smith (1727–1793) wrote the first history of New York. Smith planned and began work on a sequel, treating 1732-1762, which was published posthumously (1826). At first seeking to avoid revolution by siding with the British under Lord North, who proposed granting to the Americans everything short of independence, Smith eventually became a loyalist and emigrated to England. Still, his History gave him legitimacy as an expert on New York, for which he hoped to be granted command and territory by the British. Smith served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the British colony of New York (which at the time was essentially confined to the City of New York) 1780-2.[1] The book comprises five historical sections, with the fifth containing a treatment of the legislative and judicial structures in pre-Revolutionary New York.
Church 1023, Howes S703, Sabin 84566, Streeter 871.
[1] I thank Mr. Michael Benowitz, Assistant Director of the Historical Society of the New York Courts, for his assistance.
Item #6JLR0110
Price: $3,400