The Lamp of Experience

Appendix II: History in the Colonial Library

LAMP_201-250.indd 45 5/27/11 1:29 PM APPENDIX II History in the Colonial Library The listings which follow can assist in charting the historiographical environment of the American colonists and the character of their historical resources. Although these lists are samples only, even this partial survey should supply the flavor ofthe colonists' interest in history and the nature of their reading. The frequency with which a given title recurs does not prove much in isolation; a book which crops up rarely may yet be of startling significance to a Thomas Jefferson or a Richard Bland. Nevertheless, the lists serve as a rough indication of the colonists' common exposure when seeking historical knowledge. In some instances, however, the lists make a point of their own. David Hall's orders to William Strahan reflect how the market for history books was enlarging. The catalogues of the Library Company ofPhiladelphia show the persisting interests ofthe stockholders in history. And Jefferson's book lists, with their repetition of titles, show his enduring attachment to particular history books. The lists include some works which might not be catalogued as history today, but which nevertheless had a historical significance for eighteenth-century colonists. There may be special meaning in the frequent priority accorded Sidney's Discourses over Locke's Treatises on Civil Government. While these lists accurately reflect the colonial absorption in English history, they also confirm the availability 245 LAMP_201-250.indd 46 5/27/11 1:29 PM APPENDIX II of diversified histories dealing with revolutions and, as Edwin Wolf has put it, "the mutability of kings and states." The popularity of Abbe Vertot is particularly eloquent testimony to this interest. A comparable reading of the English governing classes at this same period might throw additional light on Anglo-American misunderstandings . The form of the listings below follows substantially the form employed in the original, and where the identity of a book remains obvious, the original misspellings and minor title variations are retained . For purposes of typographical clarity, there is an effort at consistent italicizing oftitles, which was not the case in the originals. Entries marked with an asterisk have not been identified. The entries are grouped under geographical categories: New England ; New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; and the Southern Colonies. I. COLLEGE CATALOGUES A. Harvard College I. LIBRARY CATALOGUE OF 1723 Clarendon's History ofthe Rebellion Coke's Institutes Cambden's Britannia Harrington's Oceana Rushworth's Historical Collections John Speed's History of Great Britain Potter's Greek Antiquities 2. ADDED BETWEEN I725 AND 1735 Burnet: History ofOwn Time Selden's Works Tyrril's History of England Rapin's History ofEngland LAMP_201-250.indd 47 5/27/11 1:29 PM History in the Colonial Library 3· ADDED BY 1773 James Burgh: Dignity ofHuman Nature Cato's Letters Echard's Ecclesiastical History Gordon's Tacitus " Sa/lust, with Cicero's Orations against Cataline. Hampden's Tryal David Hume's History ofEngland 6 v. (White] Kennett's Complete History ofEngland 3 v. fol. Basil Kennett: Roman Antiquities John Locke: All his works. 3 v. fol. Ludlow's Memoirs Catherine Macaulay's History ofEngland 5 v. Milton: All his works Molesworth: Account of Denmark and Sweden William Molyneux: Case of Ireland, being bound by the Parliament of England Edw[ard] W. Montagu: Rise and Fall ofRepublicks Montesquieu, Oeuvres Henry Neville on Government John Oldmixon, History of England Puffendorf: History ofSweden , Law of Nature and Nations Intra. to the History ofEurope William Robertson: History of Scotland " " History ofthe Emperor Charles V Rollin's Roman History Rycaut's Ottoman Empire Temple Stanyan's Greek History Sydney on Government Sir William Temple's Works James Tyrrel on the Ancient Constitution ofthe English Government. fol. 4 · ADDED BETWEEN 1773 AND 1790 William Guthrie's General History ofEngland 3 v. Hottoman's (Fr.) Franco Gallia two editions: 1573 and 1586 247 LAMP_201-250.indd 48 5/27/11 1:29 PM APPENDIX II A second set of Hume's History if England 1786 Three editions of Catherine Macaulay's History ifEngland: 2 v. 1763, 5 v. 1776, 4 v. !769 [Second copy of] Molesworth's Account if Denmark (both 1738 editions) [Second set of] Rapin's History of England (first, 1726, second, 1732) Roger Acherley: Brittanic Constitution 1741 " " Free Parliaments 1731 Nathaniel Bacon: Historical & political discourse on the laws. ... 1760 edn. " " Discourse ifthe uniformity ifthe govt. of England 1647 edn. Rob. Brady: A...