Letters...A Bibliographic Description

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The following is a bibliographic description of an eighteenth century monograph. What this description illustrates is the fact that by simple research an individual is able to find multiple paths of study. By doing a bibliographic description, patrons come to understand what separates one issue of a book from another. By viewing the references of a bibliographic description the patron can find even more information on certain subjects, in this case authors,publishers, and scholars. Teaching a patron to do such a description would take work, yet it would demonstrate how he or she can be an effective researcher.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Thomas Davies in Russel Street Convent-Garden, and Lockyer Davis in Holborn. Letters from an American Farmer; Describing certain provincial situations. manners. and customs. not generally known; and conveying some idea of the late and present interior circumstances of the British colonies in North America. Written for the information of a friend in England, By J. Hector St. John. a farmer in Pennsylvania. London: Thomas Davies in Russel Street Covent-Garden, and Lockyer Davis in Holborn.

TITLE PAGE:

LETTERS|FROM AN|AMERICAN FARMER;|DESCRIBING|CERTAIN PROVINCIAL SITUATIONS,|MANNERS|AND CUSTOMS| NOT GENERALLY KNOWN;|AND CONVEYING |SOME IDEA OF THE LATE AND PRESENT|INTERIOR CIRCUMSTANCES|OF THE|BRITISH COLONIES|IN|NORTH AMERICA.|[short rule]|WRITTEN FOR THE INFORMATION OF A FRIEND|IN ENGLAND,| By J. HECTOR ST. JOHN,|A FARMER IN PENNSYLVANIA|[long double rule]|LONDON,PRINTED FOR THOMAS DAVIES IN RUSSEL STREET COVENT-|GARDEN, AND LOCKYER DAVIS IN HOLBORN.|M DCC LXXXII.

COLLATION

[i]-[xvi], [1]-318. [CCCXIX-CCCXX]. [1³],[2⁵],B⁸,C⁸,D⁸,E⁸, F⁸,G⁸,H⁸,I⁸,K⁸,L⁸,M⁸, N⁸,O⁸,P⁸,Q⁸,R⁸,S⁸,T⁸, U⁸,X⁸.

p.[i]: Half Title Page.

p.[ii]:[BLANK].

p.[iii]: Title Page.

p.[iv]:[BLANK].

pp.[v]-[viii]:Advertisement. NOTE: Advertisement in the eighteenth century did not have the same meaning it does in the present time. According to the Oxford English Dictionary one of the meanings for "Advertisement" was defined as, "A (written) statement calling attention to anything; a notification, a 'notice'. In this book the advertisement functions somewhat as a preface.

p.[viii]: [BLANK].

pp.[ix]-[xi]: [Dedication] To The Abbe Raynal. F.R.S.

p.[xii]:[BLANK].

pp.[xiii]-[xv]: Table of Contents.

p.[xvi]: [BLANK].

pp.[1]-20: [THICK LONG RULE][THIN LONG RULE] Letters|From An| American Farmer. |Letter I|Introduction.

pp. 21-44: Letter II.|On The Situation,Feelings, and Pleasures,| of An American Farmer.

pp. 45-113: Letter III.| What is An American.

pp. 114-150: Letter IV.| Description of the Island of Nantucket,|With the Manners.Customs. Policy. And| Trade of the Inhabitants.

pp. 150-158: Letter V.| Customary Education and Employment| of the Inhabitants of Nantucket.

pp. 159-176: Letter VI.| Description of the Island of Martha's|Vineyard; And of the Whale Fishery.

pp. 176-193: Letter VII.| Letters and Customs at Nantucket.

pp. 194-212: Letter VIII.| Peculiar Customs at Nantucket.

pp. 213-235: Letter IX.| Description of Charles-Town; Thoughts| on Slavery; On Physical Evil; A Me-|lancholy Scene.

pp. 235-246: Letter X.| On Snakes; And on The Humming Bird.

pp. 247-269: Letter XI.| From Mr. IW-N Al-Z, A Russian Gentle-|man; Describing the Visit He Paid at My | Request to Mr. John Bertram, The Cele-|brated Pennsylvanian Botanist.

pp. 270-318: Letter XII.| Distresses of a Frontier Man.

pp. [CCCXIX-CCCXX] This day are published. (Advertisements in the modern sense of the word for other books )

ILLUSTRATIONS

Two illustrations. Both are maps. Bernard Chevignard in his article,"St John De Crevecoeur in The Looking Glass: Letters From An American Farmer and The Making of a Man of Letters" cites the following information, ".. .drafted in 1779 for the information of Sir Henry Clinton by Peter Dubois, a magistrate of the New York City police.. ." in which it is stated about Crevecoeur,"In this Unaccountable manner he Remained here, Employing himself in the drawing of Maps of the Country, and I have heard him Say he had Made one of this province, and know he had a Most Elegant and Very Accurate one of Orange County in particular, Including the Country Westward of the Hudsons River, from Tappan to New Windsor; (174-175,1984). Based on this evidence, and the fact that no illustrator is cited for the maps, we can be confidant that Crevecoeur is the illustrator.

p.[100] MAP of the Island of MARTHA'S VINEYARD with its Dependencies.

NOTE: Although the map is located on page 100, the map is actually labeled p. 160.

p.[102?]MAP of the ISLAND of NANTUCKET. This map, unlike the previous one, includes a numbered "References to the Map of Nantucket" list.

NOTE: The pages are ordered incorrectly so the pagination goes, 121,102,123. Map is actually labeled p.122 .

TYPOGRAPHY AND PAPER

Errors in the pagination. In "Letter VI:Description of the Island of Martha's|Vineyard; And of the Whale Fishery" the pagination is as follows: 173,175,174,176. Further along in, "Letter VII: Letters and Customs at Nantucket" the pagination is as follows: 188,151,190. Finally, in "Letter XII|Distresses of a Frontier Man" the pagination is as follows: 305,406,307. Paper is brittle. Verticle chain lines are visible. Title page measurement: 8¾ X 5. Leaves of the book have been cut several times, most likely on account of new binding.

BINDING

Cover is dark green cloth. Cover is blank. Spine is imprinted as follows: Top of the spine is [DOUBLE THIN GOLD RULE], Stamped in capital gold letters is the name ST. JOHN. Below the name is [SHORT GOLD RULE]. Below the thin gold rule is the abbreviated title, LETTERS|FROM|AN|AMERICAN|FARMER. Near the bottom of the spine are the letters M.H.S. Based on the book plate this means "Massachusetts Horticultural Society". Rear cover is blank

PROVENANCE

Book plate has the following phrase enclosed as follows: [THIN BLACK RULE]Shelf No.[THIN BLACK RULE]. Below this is an emblem of a flying woman dropping flower petals on the earth, this image being enclosed in a circle. Above her is spelled out on a cloth banner the phrase, "COMMUNE BONUM". Surrounding this image is another circle with following words, "Massachusetts Horticultural Society Inc. June 12, 1829." Below this are the words. "Library of The Massachusetts Horticultural Society Boston." Below are the following words enclosed as follows: [THIN BLACK RULE] "Accession Dec. 23, 1919" [THIN BLACK RULE]. Under this is, [THIN BLACK RULE]. Finally there is written, "John S. Farlow Fund." All of the previous information is located inside a black border. On the title page next to the name of the author is writing in cursive in pencil [Michel Giullaume Saint John de Crevecoeur]. Below the publisher imprint and the Latin letters indicating the year is a thin, straight pencil line. On the other side of the title page there is writing in pencil at the top of the page, "a D 23 1919". Below this is a stamp with lettering in a half circle stating "Chicago Botanic Garden". Directly below these words is the year 2002. On the top left hand side of the page there is written, "^*V17". Below this is written, "C926L". Below this it is written in lowercase cursive, "de-acid 2005". Finally. below this phrase is written, "05-1450". At the bottom of the left side of the page are two pencil marks next to each other which are "/\ \/". In the "Table of Contents" the "Map of Martha's Vineyard" the number 160 has a pencil mark across it and next to it in pencil the number 100 is written.

COPIES EXAMINED

Examined a copy owned by Chicago Botanic Garden. In the article, Saint-John de Crevecoeur Rediscovered: Critic or Panegyrist? Norman A. Plotkin proclaims, "Although additional manuscripts were published in 1925, judgments of Crevecoeur based only on the original eighteenth-century edition still prevail" (391,1964). Further on Plotkin adds, "The original London edition is the one that is currently in print in the United States and it is on this that judgments of Crevecoeur are generally made"(392,1964). The book examined was an, "...original London edition" which was published in 1782. The English Short Title Catalogue lists that the 1782 edition of the book examined is held by eight libraries in the British Isles. It is is held by one library in Germany. In North America fifty-eight libraries hold this edition of this book. including one electronic edition held by the Gale Group in its Eighteenth Century Collections Online. In WorldCat it is stated that ninety-four libraries worldwide hold this title. The National Union Catalog lists twenty-eight libraries that have this book.

CONTEXT

The writer of "Letters from an American Farmer" is listed as J. Hector St. John. This is a pseudonym. His real name was Michel-Guillaume Jean de Crevecoeur. In a paper about Mr. Crevecoeur Bernard Chevignard proclaims, "...Hector St. John-with his three dates of birth and wealth of signatures...-certainly appears to have been the controversial 'man of many masks' and of 'multiple identities' whose elusive personality critics have pondered at length"(citing Plumstead 220; Cunliff 16,176). Mr. Chevignard includes a description of the author written by, "...Peter Dubois, a magistrate of the New York City police..." in which it is noted,"He was born in Normandy and Receiv'd the Rudiments of his education at St. Omers and finish'd His Studies in the Celebrated School of Blondell at Paris"(174). Further on in the report it is stated that, "...he purchased a Small farm, at a place Called Blooming Grove or Chester in Orange County, Where he has amused himself in Agriculture" In an entry in Masterplots, Fourth Edition 1-3 it is noted about Mr. Crevecoeur, "He was,instead, a responsible man who cleared 371 acres of land and raised enough crops and animals to provide for his family,black workers, and all peaceful strangers who chanced to appear at his door"(2).

The previous events all occured prior to the Revolutionary War. At the time the war broke out. it is noted about Crevecoeur , Throughout the late 1770s, loss of property,harassment and confinement by both Whigs and Tories, bottomless anxiety about safety and survival daily added their share of distress to the impossibility of communicating openheartedly, the insensitivity of man to man, and the blurring of any clear-cut dividing line between friends and foes that characterize a civil war: such an onslaught of chaos on Hector St. John's inner and outer worlds literally blew them to pieces(Chevignard,1984, 177) In describing Crevecoeur's book it is noted that,"Letters from an American Farmer ends in ominous tones of impending tragedy. Unwilling to commit his allegiance to either the British or the colonists, Crevecoeur finds it necessary to flee ..."(Masterplots, Fourth Edition 1-3). In another article it is stated that the author, "...fled the American Revolution, returning to Europe. His character James, on the other hand, retreats into the interior,the world of nature, to await the end of hostilities and a better future"(Rosenblum 3 , 1991). Given the overwhelming amount of secondary material on this book and its author, only the most bare description can be offered.

Concerning the publisher of this monograph. the firs mention is, "Thomas Davies in Russel Street Covent-Garden ". In the publication "The Book-Hunter in London: Historical and other Studies of Collectors and Collection" by W. Roberts it is remarked that, "One of the most celebrated booksellers of this neighbourhood during the last half of the eighteenth century was Tom Davies, who sported his rubric posts in Russell Street, Covent Garden"(3). In another book the author writes of the publisher, "...the house of Tom Davies, the bookseller, in whose little back-parlour Boswell first met Johnson." Further on the author notes, "Boswell's Life of Johnson ,' still maintains its place as the most instructive and entertaining book of its class in the English language. It's first lines may be said to have been jotted down in the shop of worthy Tom Davies of Russell Street, actor and bookseller" (Pascoe,31-32).

The second publisher mentioned on the title page is, "Lockyer Davis in Holborn". In the "Exeter Working Papers in Book History" it is noted about Lockyer Davis, "Bookseller and nominal printer to the Royal Society. One of the nominal printers of the votes of the House of Commons. Contributor to St. James Chronicle etc. Edit. Maxims of La Rochefoucauld 1774. Registrar of the Literary Fund for the Relief of Distressed Authors." This website is the creation of Ian Maxted who, "...is a retired local studies librarian who formerly worked for the Guildhall Library, London (1968-76) and Devon Library Services (1977-2005)". Mr. Maxted noted about Lockyer Davis and Tom Davies in an email, "They were not partners, and were only associated for publication of the 'Letters from an American farmer' "(June 5,2011). On the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography it is stated about Lockyer Davis, "His wide knowledge of scholarship and books contributed to his becoming a consultant to many of the literary figures of the day. Fewer men, 'knew more of books', Nichols observes, 'or more of the world; and fewer still were equally willing to advantage others by a free communication'(Nichols , Lit anecdotes, 6.436).

Previous to this information, it is also noted, "Like his uncle Davis bought and sold libraries, and he issued numerous catalogues, fifteen of which have survived. As a 'catalogist' (one who 'distributes books at fixed prices for ready money') he is ranked by Nichols second only to Thomas Osborne (Nichols Lit. anecdotes, 3.625). Concerning catalogues the English Short Title Catalog has a listing of fifteen catalogues by Lockyer Davis. Regarding both publishers, Norman Plotkin notes some interesting information. He speaks about "...the original edition by the well-known publisher Thomas Davies and Lockyer Davis in London in the last year of the Revolutionary War. There was no doubt that it was intended to serve the English Whig cause by fostering an atmosphere conducive to reconciliation. The publishers in their 'advertisement' noted that the author '...has severly felt the desolating consequences of a rupture between the parent state and her colonies' and expressed the hope that mutual interests would 'happily reunite them '(391,1964). (NOTE: Although these quotes have been used from the advertisement used in an edition of the book printed in 1957 by E.P. Dutton and Co. the language in both 1782 and 1957 reprint remains the same.) Further on Plotkin proclaims, "It seems evident in these circumstances that letters depicting American life most favorably would be selected. In fact, all but one of the letters written after the beginning of the Revolutionary War were excluded and the more critical of the earlier ones were omitted"(ibid). The relationship between author and publisher is quite interesting and seems to make a big difference in what the public will actually see.

REFERENCES

Brack,O.M. 2004. Davis, Lockyer John.Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. http://www.oxforddnb.com.ezproxy.dom.edu/view/article/7290

Chevignard, Bernard. 1984. St. John De Crevecoeur in the Looking Glass: Letters From An American Farmer And The Making of a Man of Letters. Early American Literature, Volume XIX, 173-190. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25056553.

de Crevecoeur, J. Hector St. John. 1957. Letters from an American Farmer... New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.

English Short Title Catalogue. http://estc.bl.uk/

Exeter Working Papers in Book History blog. http://bookhistory.blogspot.com/

Masterplots,Fourth Edition. 2010. Letters from an American Farmer... http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.dom.edu.

Pascoe, Charles Eyre. 1887. The Joyous Neighborhood of Covent Garden: A Literary Souvenir of the Tavistock Hotel, Done in Celebration of its Hundreth Anniversary. Tooks Court, Chancery Lane: The Chiswick Press. Tufts Digital Library. http://hdl..handle.net/10427/14790.

Plotkin, Norman A. Saint-John de Crevecoeur Rediscovered: Critic or Paneygyrist? French Historical Studies, Vol 3, No. 3 1964. 390-404.