J.19
Smith’s hist. of Virginia.
fol.
1815 Catalogue, page 25. no. 74, Smith’s history of Virginia, p fol.
1831 Catalogue, page 62. no. J. 193, Smith, Capt. John: Generall Historie of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles,
folio; London, 1632.
SMITH,
John.
The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England, and the Summer Isles: with the names of the Adventurers, Planters, and Governours
from their first beginning An
o. 1584. to this present 1626. With the Procedings of those Severall Colonies and the Accidents that befell them in all their
Journyes and Discoveries. Also the Maps and Descriptions of all those Countryes, their Commodities, people, Government, Customes,
and Religion yet knowne. Divided into sixe Bookes By Captaine Iohn Smith sometymes Governour in those Countryes & Admirall of New England.
London: Printed by
I[ohn] D[awson] and
I[ohn] H[aviland], for
Edward Blackmore, Anno
1632.
F229 .S63
Fifth Issue. Folio. 124 leaves only, should have 127: A-N
4, P-Z
4, Aa-Ii
4, engraved title (second state), engraved folded map of Virginia (defective and backed). This copy lacks three preliminary
leaves and 3 maps.
STC 22790 d.
Sabin 82829.
Church 422.
This edition not in Clayton-Torrence.
Original vellum, enclosed in a slip case. Not initialled by Jefferson. At the foot of R
2 is a corrective note written in pencil by an old and shaky hand, which appears to be that of Jefferson:
Argall was at Bermuda Hundred in Sir Th
o. Dale’s settlement at Henrico, in February 1619.
(
See Va. records, in Congress Library.) With the Library of Congress 1815 bookplate.
Jefferson’s copy was of the 1632 edition, though in his letter to John Adams concerning Wollaston (see no. 453 above), written on December 28, 1812, he seemed to refer to the first edition, published in 1624. Summarizing the histories
of Virginia he wrote: “
. . . it happens unluckily that Smith and Stith, who alone of them go into minute facts, bring their histories, the former
only to 1623. and the latter to 1624.
”
In the
Notes on Virginia,
Query XXIII opens:
Capt Smith, who next to Sr Walter Raleigh may be considered as the founder of our colony, has written it’s history, from the
first adventures to it till the year 1624. he was a member of the Council, and afterwards President of the colony; and to
his efforts principally may be ascribed it’s support against the opposition of the natives. he was honest, sensible and well
informed; but his style is barbarous & uncouth. his history however is almost the only source from which we derive any knowledge
of the infancy of our State.
John Smith, 1580-1631, English soldier and colonist, a native of Willoughby in Lincolnshire, was one of the founders of the colony of
Virginia.
[461]
J.20
Keith’s hist. of Virginia.
1815 Catalogue, page 24. no. 75, as above, 4to.
KEITH,
Sir William.
[
The History of the British Plantations in America . . . Part I. Containing the History of Virginia . . .
London: Printed at the expence of the
Society for the Encouragment of Learning, by
S. Richardson; and sold by
A. Millar,
J. Nourse and
J. Gray, booksellers to the Society,
1738.]
F229 .K28
