Sir William Keith

The History of the British Plantations in America. With a Chronological Account of the most remarkable Things, which happen'd to the first Adventurers in their several Discoveries of that New World. Part I. [all published] Containing the History of Virginia; with Remarks on the Trade and Commerce of that Colony. Personal Copy of the Earl of Bute.

London: Printed at the Expense of the Society for the Encouragement of Learning, by S. Richardson, 1738. Quarto: [8], 187, [1], including two maps. Original full mottled calf, rebacked to style, elaborate gilt tooling, armorial bookplate of "John Earl of Bute &c." (binding slightly worn, occasional light toning to text and to Americas map, very light offsetting to Virginia map, overall very good condition. Most recent owner's bookplate on front pastedown.

An important association copy of Sir William Keith's History of Virginia. Keith originally conceived of this as a multi0volume work covering all of the British Empire in America, of which the present work was intended to be the first part. Financial constraints prevented the publication of successive volumes, thus only "Part 1" appeared, and it is considered to be complete in and of itself. The History includes an account of the Roanoke Colony, and the map of Virginia includes most of Tidewater North Carolina.

Keith was well-positioned to compose such a work. From 1714 to 1717 he served as Surveyor-General o the Customs for the Southern Division of North America, including North Carolina. In 1717 he was appointed Governor of Pennsylvania and held that office until 1726. In August 1730 he assisted the Board of Trade in consummating a treaty with the Cherokee Indians

This is the Earl of Bute copy, with his bookplate on the front flyleaf, opposite the title page. John Stuart, third Earl of Bute (1713-1792), was Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1762-63. Bute was the favorite of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales, and after Frederick's death in 1751 was appointed tutor to his brother, the new Prince, crowned George III in 1760. He served as Prime Minister early in George's reign, but fell from favor and was dismissed. Bute, was a noted student of botany, the friend of Mark Catesby, Peter Collinson, and correspondent of Linnaeous. He was also the patron of the great Virginia scientist and mapmaker, Dr. John Mitchell, who came to London in 1746.

Whether Bute was inspired to acquire Keith's History of Virginia through his association with Mitchell, or through his duties as Prime Minister during the French & Indian War, in which Virginia plated a conspicuous part, is unknown. It is certain that a key history of Britain's most important colony would have been a must for a wealthy aristocrat involved at a high level in the intellectual and political life of the nation.

The History begins with a thirteen page account of the Roanoke Colony (pp. 38-51), as the precurser to the establishment of Jamestown in 1607. The remainder consists of a detailed account of the settlement and development of Virginia to 1723, through the governorship of Alexander Spotswood. The last chapter is devoted to "Remarks on the Trade and Government of Virginia" (pp. 177-187).

The two fine maps are a large-scale folding map of the Americas based largely on the work of Herman Moll (18-1/2" x 21-1/2"), and a map of eastern Virginia and North Carolina dedicated to Thomas Lord Fairfax, which according to Woolrdige contains "details of northern and western Virginia that had not previously been published." The depiction of North Carolina is very good, far superior, for example, to the map in Edward Brickell's contemporary Natural History of North Carolina (Dublin 1737).

Church 930; Sabin 37240, Woolridge, Mapping Virginia, plate 96. Item #100049

Price: $12,500.00