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Mr. Philip D. Burden
P.O. Box 863,
Chalfont St. Giles, Bucks HP6 9HD,
UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 (0) 1494 76 33 13
Email: enquiries@caburden.com
First edition, final variant, of a book which PMM calls ‘the foundation of England’s knowledge of America during the early period of colonization.’ It related to travels in both New England and Virginia. Its printing was divided between two printers, Smith gave half the text to each. This generated miscalculation of the length of text and created a pagination break between pages 96-105. This copy is without the errata that an be found pasted at the foot of the final page. It includes the portrait of Frances Duchess of Richmond but not that of Matoaka or Pocahontas. The two portraits were issued separately and only inserted in some copies.
This work contains four maps, the two most important being those of Virginia and New England. That of Virginia first published in 1612 is “One of the most important printed maps of America ever produced and certainly one of the greatest influence. It became the prototype for the area for half a century until Augustine Herrman’s map of 1673.” (Burden). The New England first published in 1616 “is the foundation map of New England cartography in an early state, the one that gave it its name and the first devoted to the region.” (Burden). ‘Ould Virginia’ illustrates the original colony on Roanoke Island in present day North Carolina. It is adorned with images of Smith’s experiences in America. The final map is found on the title page itself and depicts a map of the east coast extending from Cape Fear to Penobscot Bay.
The work is made up of six book which contain the majority of Smith’s earlier works along with abstracts from other writers. The first book describes the first settlement of Virginia and subsequent voyages to 1605. The second book offers a description of the country and its native inhabitants The third book recounts the Smith’s voyages, the settlement of Jamestown from December 1606 to 1609, and ‘how Pocahontas saved his life’. The fourth book continues the history of Virginia up to 1623, The fifth book consists of the history of the Bermudas (or Summer Islands) from 1593 to 1624. Book 6 relates the history of New England from 1614 to 1624.
Tyler praises Smith’s narrative for ‘clearness, force, vividness, picturesque and dramatic energy, a diction racy and crisp.’ He goes on to state that ‘during the first two decades of the seventeenth century he did more than any other Englishman to make an American nation and an American literature possible.’ The most famous episode in Smith’s narrative occurs after he has set out to discover the source of the River Chickahominy and been captured by Indians; he is only saved from execution by the intervention of Pocahontas, the king’s dearest daughter, [who] when no intreaty could prevaile, got his head in her armes, and laid her owne upon his face to save him from death.’ Provenance: George Shakerley (signature on title) — Sir Henry Hope Edwardes (1829-1900; bookplate, loosely inserted note recording ‘Smith’s Virginia sold at Sotheby’s without the portrait of Matoaka plate for £204’). Burden (1996) 164, 187, 212, & 213; Church (1907) 402 (1st issue); ESTC S111886; Howgego (2003) S120; PMM 124; Sabin (1868-1936) 82829; Tyler (1967) I, pp. 37-8.
SMITH, John
The Generall History of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: with the names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours from their first beginning An°. 1584 to this present 1626.
By J[ohn] D[awson] and J[ohn] H[aviland] for Edward Blackmore, London, 1632
THE FOUNDATION OF ENGLAND’S KNOWLEDGE OF AMERICA”. Small folio (280 x 185 mm), late nineteenth century green gilt-panelled morocco by F. Bedford, gilt edges, new endpapers. With engraved title page by John Barra in the 5th state with King Charles looking slightly to the left, engraved portrait of Frances Duchess of Richmond by Wilhelm de Passe, 4 folding engraved maps comprising ‘Ould Virginia’ (fourth state with addition of Adam Sounds above C. Henry), ‘Virginia’ (tenth state with page number 1691), ‘The Summer Ils’ (third state with James Reeve), ‘New England’ (eighth state with the Council Arms but without school of fish and reference to ‘New England’s Prospect’), woodcut ornamental initials, type ornaments. Extra illustrated with engraved portrait of Prince Lodovick, Duke of Lenox, Earle of Richmond by Simon van de Passe; also bound between E3 & E4 is an additional folding plate depicting two Indians hollowing out a canoe with fire signed T.B. Washed, title re-margined at the foot, ‘Ould Virginia’ with closed 60 mm. tear to lower left hand compartment and short tear at one fold, the three other maps with closed tears of approx. 100 mm., 60 mm. and 90 mm. into bottom left of engraved area, Bb3r soiled, occasional light stains, several small marginal repairs.
Stock number: 8929
SOLD