History in the Colonial Library

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Source: The Lamp of Experience: Whig History and the Intellectual Origins of the American Revolution (Indianapolis: Liberty Fund 1998).

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 of the 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 of Philadelphia show the persisting interests of the 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 of diversified histories dealing with revolutions and, as Edwin Wolf has put it, “the mutability of kings and states.” The popularity of Abbé 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 of titles, 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

  • 1. LIBRARY CATALOGUE OF 1723
    • Clarendon’s History of the 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 1725 AND 1735
    • Burnet: History of Own Time
    • Selden’s Works
    • Tyrril’s History of England
    • Rapin’s History of England
  • 3. ADDED BY 1773
    • James Burgh: Dignity of Human Nature
    • Cato’s Letters
    • Echard’s Ecclesiastical History
    • Gordon’s Tacitus
    • ″ Sallust, with Cicero’s Orations against Cataline.
    • Hampden’s Tryal
    • David Hume’s History of England 6 v.
    • [White] Kennett’s Complete History of England 3 v. fol.
    • Basil Kennett: Roman Antiquities
    • John Locke: All his works. 3 v. fol.
    • Ludlow’s Memoirs
    • Catherine Macaulay’s History of England 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 of Republicks
    • Montesquieu, Oeuvres
    • Henry Neville on Government
    • John Oldmixon, History of England
    • Puffendorf: History of Sweden
    • ″ Law of Nature and Nations
    • ″ Intro. to the History of Europe
    • William Robertson: History of Scotland
    • ″ ″ History of the 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 of the English Government. fol.
  • 4. ADDED BETWEEN 1773 AND 1790
    • William Guthrie’s General History of England 3 v.
    • Hottoman’s (Fr.) Franco Gallia two editions: 1573 and 1586
    • A second set of Hume’s History of England 1786
    • Three editions of Catherine Macaulay’s History of England: 2 v. 1763, 5 v. 1776, 4 v. 1769
    • [Second copy of] Molesworth’s Account of 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 of the uniformity of the govt. of England 1647 edn.
    • Rob. Brady: A ful & clear answ. to a book written by W. Petit esq. 1681
    • James Burgh: Political Disquisitions London 1774 2 sets.
    • Dalrymple: Essay towards a general hist. of feudal property in Eng. 1759
    • Ellys: Tracts on Liberty 1765
    • [Henry] Care British Liberties, with an essay on political Liberty and view of the constitution of Great-Britain London 1766
    • J. Locke: Two Treatises on govt. London 1698 & 6th ed. 1764 2 sets.
    • M. Nedham: Excellencie of a Free State London 1767 2 copies
    • H[enry] Nevil: Plato Redivivus London, 1681, 1698, 1763. 3 copies.
    • Wm Petit: Ancient Right of the commons of Eng. asserted 1680
    • Granville Sharp Declaration of the People’s Right 1775
    • Algernon Sidney: Discourses concerning govt. London 1751, 1763. 2 copies.
    • Samuel Squire: Enquiry into the foundation of the english constitution.
    • G[ilbert] Stuart: Dissertation concerning antiquity of the English constitution London, 1753
    • ″ ″ Historical Essay on the english constitution Lond. 17711
    • Frank Sullivan: Lectures on the feudal law London, 1772.
    • J. Tyrrell: Bibliotheca politica London, 1727
    • Walter Moyle: Works, 2 v. London, 1726; 3 v. London, 1726, 1727. 2 sets.
    • Wm. Temple: Observations on the United Netherlands London, 1690.
    • ″ ″ Works London, 1720; London, 1740. 2 sets.
    • John Wilkes North Briton, 2 v. London, 1763

B. Yale College

  • 1. LIBRARY CATALOGUE OF 1743
    • Puffendorf’s History of Europe
    • Cambden’s Brittania 2 v. fol.
    • Rushworth’s Historical Collections
    • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
    • Sir Thomas Smith’s de Republica Anglorum
    • Buchanani Rerum Scotarum fol.
    • Echard’s Roman History 5 v.
    • Taciti Opera 2 v.
    • Potter’s Greek Antiquities
  • 2. ADDED BY 1755
    • Raleigh’s History of the World
    • The History of King Henry VII*
    • ″ ″ ″ ″ Charles I*
    • ″ ″ ″ ″ Charles II*
    • ″ ″ ″ Oliver Cromwell*
    • ″ ″ ″ King William III*
    • ″ ″ ″ Queen Anne*
    • Ricaut’s Turkish History
    • Sir William Temple’s Works 2 v. fol.
    • The Antient and Modern Whigg
  • 3. ADDED BY 1791
    • Macaulay’s History of England 5 v.

C. The College of New Jersey

  • LIBRARY CATALOGUE OF JANUARY 29, 1760
  • Burnet’s History of his own Times
  • ″ History of the Reformation
  • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion 6 v.
  • Cato’s Letters
  • Eachard’s Eccleciastical History 2 v.
  • ″ Roman History 5 v.
  • History of the House of the Stewarts*
  • Puffendorf’s Introduction to the History of Europe
  • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece 2 v.
  • Rapin’s History of England, with Tindal’s Continuation. 5 v. 3 sets in all.
  • Sidney on Government
  • Tacitus, Englished by several Hands, 3 v.
  • Sir William Temple, Letters & Observations on the United Provinces 3 v.

D. Rhode Island College

  • LIBRARY CATALOGUE OF 1782
  • Oldmixon’s History of England
  • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
  • Burnet’s History of his own Times
  • Universal History 8 v.
  • Robertson’s History of Scotland 2 v.
  • Mrs. Macaulay’s History of England 3 v.
  • Puffendorf’s History
II.

SOCIAL OR PUBLIC LIBRARIES

A. New England

  • 1. SAYBROOK, LYME AND GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT
    • Library Catalogue, 1737
      • Burnet’s History of his own Time
      • Camden’s Britannia
      • Locke on Education
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
      • Rapin’s History of England
  • 2. REDWOOD-LIBRARY, NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
    • Library Catalogue, 1750
      • Acherley’s Britannic Constitution
      • Burnet’s History of the Reformation 3 v.
      • ″ History of His own Times 2 v.
      • Camden’s Britannia 2 v.
      • Hale’s Pleas of the Crown
      • Hawkin’s Pleas of the Crown
      • Kennet’s History of England 3 v.
      • Locke’s Works 3 v.
      • Rawleigh’s History of the World
      • Rapin’s History of England 2 v. fol.
      • Tindal’s Continuation of Rapin 3 v.
      • Selden’s Works 6 v. (in Latin)
      • Spelman’s Works (in English)
      • Temple’s Works 2 v.
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland 3 v.
      • Puffendorf’s History of Sweden
      • Voltaire’s History of Charles XII
      • Molesworth’s Account of Denmark and Sweden
      • Echard’s Ecclesiastical History 2 v.
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece
  • 3. PROVIDENCE LIBRARY, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
    • Library Catalogue, 1768
      • Bolingbroke’s Letters on History
      • ″ Letters on Patriotism
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland
      • Burnet’s History of the Reformation
      • ″ History of His Own Times
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
      • Echard’s Roman History
      • Gordon’s Tacitus 5 v.
      • ″ Sallust
      • Hume’s History of the Stuarts
      • Life of Alfred
      • Locke’s Works 3 v.
      • Ludlow’s Memoirs
      • Machiavel’s Works
      • Modern Universal History
      • Molesworth’s History of Denmark
      • Montague on Ancient Republics
      • Plutarch’s Lives
      • Puffendorf’s History of Sweden
      • ″ Intro. to History of Europe
      • Raleigh’s History abridged
      • Rapin’s History of England 21 vol.
      • Ricaut’s History of the Turks
      • Rise and Fall of the Romans, by Montesquieu
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
      • Montesquieu Spirit of Laws
      • Temple’s Works 2 v.

B. New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania

  • 1. NEW YORK SOCIETY LIBRARY
    • Library Catalogue, 1754
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland
      • Guthrie’s History of England
      • Harrington’s Oceana
      • Locke’s Works 3 v.
      • Ludlow’s Memoirs
      • Rapin’s History of England
      • Rushworth’s Historical Collections
      • Sidney on Government
      • Tyrrel’s History of England 5 v.
      • Temple’s Works 2 v.
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Sweden
      • ″ ″ ″ Spain
      • ″ ″ ″ Rome
      • ″ ″ ″ Portugal
      • Smollett’s History of England 3 v.
      • Bolingbroke on Patriotism
      • ″ Works 5 v.
      • Gordon’s Tacitus 4 v.
      • Rollin’s Roman History 2 sets
      • Burnet’s History of his own Times
      • Cato’s Letters 4 v.
      • Independent Whig 4 v.
  • 2. BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, LIBRARY COMPANY
    • Library Catalogue, 1758
      • Sidney, Discourses on Government fol.
      • Rapin’s History of England 2 v. fol. 1743
      • Independent Whig 4 copies
      • Cato’s Letters 4 v. 1737
      • Henry Care’s English Liberties 5th ed. 2 copies
      • Burgh’s Britain’s Remembrancer 7th ed., 1748
      • Burnet’s History of His Own Time 4 v. London, 1753
      • Edmund Ludlow, Memoirs 3rd ed., 3 v. Edinburgh, 1751
  • 3. LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA
    • a.Library Catalogue, 17332
      • The Annals and History of Tacitus, translated by Mr. Gordon. 2 v. 1728
      • Wood’s Institutes of the Laws of England 1728
      • Sidney’s Discourses on Government 1704
      • Puffendorf’s Law of Nature and Nations, translated by Basil Kennett, 1729
      • ″ Introduction to the History of the principal Kingdoms and States of Europe 1728
      • De Rapin Thoyras, The History of England 15 v. 1731
      • Vertot, The History of the Revolutions that happened in the Government of the Roman Republick 2 v. 1732
      • ″ The History of the Revolution in Sweden 1729
      • ″ The History of the Revolutions in Spain 5 v. 1724
      • ″ The Revolutions of Portugal 1724
      • ″ A Critical History of the Establishment of the Bretons among the Gauls 2 v. 1722
      • Plutarch’s Lives 8 v. 1727
      • Chevalier Ramsay, The Travels of Cyrus 2 v. 1728
      • De Voltaire, The History of Charles XII King of Sweden 1732
      • Joseph Addison, Miscellaneous Works 3 v. 1726
    • b.Added by 1764
      • Camden’s Britannia 2 v.
      • Harrington’s Oceana 1737
      • Temple’s Works 2 v. 1738
      • Locke’s Works 3 v. 1740
      • Rushworth’s Collections 1721
      • Acherley’s Britannic Constitution 1727
      • Raleigh’s History of the World 2 v. 1733
      • Rycaut’s Ottoman Empire
      • Burnet’s History of his Own Time 2 v. 1734
      • William Robertson’s History of Scotland 2 v. 1759
      • David Hume, History of England … to 1688 6 v. 1762
      • Molesworth, Account of Denmark 1738 Second copy, 1694
      • Hotman, Franco-Gallia, translated by Molesworth 1721
      • Potter, Antiquities of Greece
      • Rollin, Roman History 10 v. 1744
      • Clarendon, History of the Rebellion 2 v. 1720 2 sets
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland 2 v. 1733
      • Temple Stanyan, Grecian History 2 v. 1739
      • Walter Moyle, Works 2 v. 1726
      • Bolingbroke, Dissertation on Parties 1743
      • Thornhagh Gurdon, History of the High Court of Parliament 2 v. 1731
      • Care’s English Liberties 1719
      • Locke’s Treatises on Government 1698
      • John Chamberlayne, The Present State of Great Britain 1729
      • Verstegan, Restitution of Decayed Antiquities Antwerp, 1605
      • Bolingbroke, Letters on the Study and Use of History 2 v. 1752
      • Tacitus, Works, translated by Thomas Gordon. 2nd ed., 4 v. 1737
      • Samuel Puffendorf, Compleat History of Sweden London, 1702
      • E. W. Montagu, Reflections on the Rise and Fall of the antient Republics 1759
      • John Dalrymple, History of Feudal Property 3d. ed., 1758
      • Independent Whig 3 v. 1735
      • Cato’s Letters 4 v.
    • c.Added by 1770
      • N[athaniel] Bacon’s Discourses of the Laws and Government of England 5th ed. 1760
      • Care’s British [sic] Liberties 1767
      • Burgh’s Dignity of Human Nature
      • Wharton True Briton 2 v. 1723
      • Milton, History of England 1677
      • Echard, History of England
      • Mascou, History of the ancient Germans 2 v. 1738
      • Sidney, Discourses on Government 2 v. 1750
      • Ellis: Liberty of Subjects in England 1765 Tracts on Liberty
      • Ludlow: Memoirs 3 v. 1698
      • Macaulay: History of England 4 v. 1767
      • Robertson’s History of Scotland 4th ed. 1761
      • Temple’s Works 4 v. 1757
      • Warner’s History of Civil War in Ireland 2d ed. vol. 1 only 1768
      • Rapin’s History of England 1st ed., 30 v. 1728; 4th ed., 21 v. 1757
    • d.Added by 1775
      • Robertson’s History of Charles V. 3 v. Robert Bell’s Philadelphia edition
      • Allan Ramsay An Essay on the Constitution of England 1766
      • [Obadiah Hulme] An Historical Essay on the English Constitution London, 1771. “Where Annual Election Ends, There Slavery Begins.”
      • Molyneux, The Case of Ireland being bound by Acts of Parliament, Stated London, 1770
      • Francis Sullivan, History of Feudal Law London, 1772
  • 4. UNION LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA
    • a.Library Catalogue, 1754
      • Raleigh’s History of the World
      • Puffendorf’s Introduction to the History of Europe
      • Tacitus, Annals 3 v. London, 1698. “Made English by several Hands.”
      • Temple’s Introduction to the History of England 2 v. London, 1699
      • Vertot: History of the Revolution in Sweden
      • ″ ″ ″ ″ ″ ″ Roman Republic
      • ″ ″ ″ ″ ″ ″ Portugal
      • Locke’s Human Understanding London, 1748
      • ″ Thoughts concerning Education London, 1696
      • Rapin: History of England 28 v. London, 1728
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland 2 v. 1738
      • Henry Care: English Liberties 4th ed. London, 1719
      • Independent Whig 7th ed., 3 v. London, 1743. 2 sets.
      • Molesworth, Account of Denmark, 5th ed., London, 1745
      • Cato’s Letters, 4 v. London, 1724
    • b.Added by 1765
      • Kennet: Antiquities of Rome 3 sets.
      • Burnet’s Abridgement of his own times: also unabridged in 4 v.
      • Rushworth’s Collections 1659 2 sets
      • Smollett’s History of England
      • Sidney’s Discourses
      • Temple’s Observations on the United Provinces
  • 5. ASSOCIATION LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA
    • Library Catalogue, 1765
      • Cato’s Letters
      • Guthrie’s History of England
      • Gordon’s Annals of Tacitus
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
      • Vertot: Revolutions of Sweden
      • ″ ″ ″ Portugal
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland
      • Independent Whig
      • Locke’s Works
      • Smollet, History of England
      • Warner’s History of Ireland
  • 6. JULIANA LIBRARY-COMPANY, LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA
    • Library Catalogue, 1766
      • Rapin’s History of England & Continuation 1743, 1758
      • Cambden’s Britannia
      • Sidney’s Discourses on Government 1751
      • Locke’s Essay concerning Human Understanding 2 v. 1753
      • Kennet’s Antiquities of Rome 1717
      • Molesworth’s Account of Denmark 1694
      • Bolingbroke: Letters on Patriotism & Parties 1749
      • Temple’s Observations on the United Provinces 1705
      • Locke, On Education 1752
      • ″ Two Treatises on Government 1713 (Given by Mr. Christopher Marshall)
      • Rollin’s Roman History 16 v. Dublin, 1740

C. The Southern Colonies

  • 1. CHARLESTOWN LIBRARY SOCIETY
    • a.Library Catalogue, 1750
      • Acherley’s Britannic Constitution
      • Nathaniel Bacon’s Discourse on the Laws and Government of England
      • Burnet’s Hist. of His Own Times
      • Harrington, Oceana
      • Rapin’s History of England, and Tindal’s Continuation
      • Milton’s Works
      • Clarendon’s History of the Civil Wars
      • Hakwell’s Modus Tenendi Parliamentum
      • Independent Whig 4 v.
      • [Montagu?] Reflections on the Grandeur and Decension of the Romans
      • Clarke’s Essay upon Study
      • Rollin’s Antient History
      • Cato’s Letters 4 v.
      • Gordon’s Sallust
      • Rollin’s Roman History
      • Gordon’s Tacitus
      • Kennett’s Antiquities of Rome
      • Vertot, Revolutions in Rome
      • ″ Revolutions in Sweden
      • Hale’s Original Institution of Parliaments
      • Bolingbroke’s Dissertation on Parties
      • Locke’s Works 3 v.
      • Raleigh’s History of the World 2 v. 2 sets
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece
      • Montesquieu’s Spirit of Laws 2 v.
      • Fortescue, The Difference between an absolute and limited Monarchy
      • Atkyan’s Parliamentary Tracts
      • Petyt’s Ancient Right of the Commons
    • b.Catalogue, 1770 (As above, but added:)
      • Rushworth’s Historical Collections
      • Temple’s Works
      • Bolingbroke’s Works 1754 5 v.
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries 4 v. Oxford, 1768
      • Hume’s History of England 6 v. 1762
      • Robertson’s History of Scotland 1759
      • ″ Reign of Charles V 3 v. 1769
      • Smollett’s History of England 4 v. 1757
      • Warner’s History of rebellion and civil wars in Ireland 1767
      • Bolingbroke’s Letters on Study and Use of History 2 v. 1752
      • Fletcher (of Salton) Political Works 1732
      • Goldsmith’s Roman History 1769
      • Hotoman’s Franco-Gallia 1721
      • Horn’s Mirror of Justices 1768
      • Hakewell’s Modus Tenendi 1671
      • Montague on ancient republicks 1760
      • Molesworth’s Account of Denmark
      • Petyt’s Ancient Right of the Commons 1680
      • Samuel Squire’s Enquiry into the Foundation of the English Constitution 1745
      • Sidney’s Discourses on Government 2 v. Edinburgh, 1750
      • Dalrymple Feudal Property 1759
      • Macaulay’s History of England 1769
      • Stanyan’s Grecian History 1751

III. PRIVATE LIBRARIES

A. New England

  • 1. SAMUEL LEE, BOSTON
    • Library Catalogue, 1693 (MS in Massachusetts Historical Society)
      • Raleigh’s History of the World
      • Langhorn’s Introduction to the History of England
      • Petit’s Ancient Right of the Commons of England
      • Tacitus
  • 2. GEORGE CURWIN, “LATE OF SALEM”
    • Auction List, 1718 (Photostat in Historical Society of Pennsylvania)
      • Care’s English Liberties
      • Sir William Temple’s History of the Netherlands
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece
  • 3. JOHN ADAMS, BOSTON
    • a.Library Catalogue, 1790 (MS in Massachusetts Historical Society)
      • Acherley, Brittannic Constitution
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries
      • ″ Law Tracts
      • Coke’s Institutes
      • ″ Reports
      • Hale’s History of the Pleas of the Crown 2 copies
      • Hawkins’ Pleas of the Crown
      • Montesquieu, Spirit of Laws
      • Puffendorf, Law of Nature and Nations 1729
      • Rushworth’s Historical Collections 2 sets
      • Seldeni, Opera
      • Sharpe’s Declaration of the People’s Rights
      • Wood’s Institutes
      • Burnet’s History of his own time 2 sets
      • Buchanan’s historia Scot
      • Caesar’s Commentaries
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
      • Davila’s Civil wars of france
      • Echard’s Roman History
      • Guiccardini’s History of Italy
      • Gordon’s Tacitus 2 sets
      • ″ Sallust
      • Hume’s History of England 8 v.
      • Rollin’s Histoire Romaine 16 v.
      • Littleton’s History of Henry II 6 v.
      • Ludlow’s Memoirs 3 v. only
      • [Blackburne, ed.,] Memoirs of Thomas Hollis
      • Macaulay’s History of England 5 v.
      • Machiavel’s Works 4 v.
      • Molesworth’s Account of Denmark
      • Plutarch, Lives 5 v.
      • ″ Oeuvres
      • ″ Opera
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece 2 sets
      • Puffendorf, History of Sweden 1702
      • Robertson’s History of Scotland 2 sets
      • Sheridan’s History of Revolution in Sweden
      • Smollett’s History of England 16 v.
      • Temple’s Observations on the United Provinces
      • Tacitus on Germany. Aikin.
      • Tyrrell’s History of England. 1st and 5th vols. only
      • Temple’s Works 1st vol.
      • Harrington’s Works 2 sets
      • Bolingbroke, Letters on Patriotism
      • Locke on Government 1694
      • Milton’s historical political & miscellaneous Works 3 v. fol.
      • Montagu on Republics
      • Burgh Political disquisitions. 2 v. 3rd vol. missing. [Presentation copies from the author.]
      • Sidney on Government 2 v.
      • Addison’s Works 4 v.
      • Locke’s Works 3 v. fol.
      • Bolinbroke’s Works 11 v.
    • b.Added between 1790 and 18263
      • John Cartwright, The English Constitution 1823 2 copies, sent by the author
      • Cato’s Letters
      • Edward Spelman, Roman Antiquities 1768
      • Sir John Fortescue, De Laudibus legum Angliae
      • John Gillies, History of Ancient Greece 1786 2 v.
      • Thomas Gordon, A Cordial for Low Spirits 3 v. 1743
      • Gordon and Trenchard, Independent Whig 2 v. 1782
      • Kames’s Historical Law Tracts 1761
      • ″ British Antiquities 1763
      • John Jebb, Works ed. John Disney 1787 3 v.
      • Marchamont Nedham, Excellencie of a free state 1747 Gift from Brand Hollis
      • Henry Neville, Plato Redivivus 1681. Gift from Brand Hollis
      • John Oldmixon, History of England 1730
      • Rapin’s History of England 1732–33 2 v. fol.
      • Robertson, History of the reign of Charles V 1777
      • Rollin, Ancient History
      • John Somers’s The Judgement of whole kingdoms 12th ed. Boston, 1774

B. New York and Pennsylvania

  • 1. JOHN MONTGOMERY, NEW YORK
    • Sale List of Library, 1732 (MS in New York Public Library)
      • Clarendon’s History
      • Rushworth’s Collections
      • [Sir William Temple?] History of Holland
      • Vertot, Revolutions of Rome
      • ″ History of Malta
      • ″ History of Spain
      • ″ Revolutions of Sweden
      • ″ Revolutions of Portugal
      • ″ Revolutions d’Angleterre
      • History of Greece
      • Caesar’s Commentaries
      • Tacitus
      • Sallust
      • Harrington’s Works
      • Tyrrell’s General History of England
      • Raleigh’s History of the World
      • Sir William Temple’s Works
      • Milton’s Works
      • Sidney On Government
      • Ludlow’s Memoirs
      • True Brittain Philip, Duke of Wharton
      • Locke’s Works
      • Cato’s Letters
      • Ricaut’s Ottoman Empire
      • Rapin’s History of England
      • Baker’s Chronicle
      • Moyle’s Works
      • History of Charles V William Robertson
  • 2. JAMES LOGAN, PHILADELPHIA
    • Library Catalogue, 1760 (MS in the Library Company of Philadelphia)
      • Burnet’s History of the Reformation
      • Brady, Introduction to old English History 1684
      • ″ Complete History of England 2 v. 1685
      • Buchanan, Opera Edinburgh, 1715
      • Camden: Britannia
      • Herbert: Henry VII 1672
      • Harrington: Oceana 1656
      • Rapin: History of England 2 v. 1732
      • Paul Rycaut: Present State of the Ottoman Empire 1670
      • John Speed: History of Great-Britain
      • Tacitus: Opera Antwerp, 1607
      • James Tyrell: General History of England 1700
      • Bullstrode Whitlocke: History of England 1713
      • ″ ″ Memorials 1682
      • Davila: Historia delle Guerre civili di Francia in lione, 1641
      • Guiccardini: Historia d’Italia Venice, 1589 2 v.
      • Vertot: Histoire des Revolutions de la Republique Romaine Lay Haye, 1724
      • Buchanan: De jure regni apud Scotos 1594
      • Clarendon: History of the Rebellion 1705 6 v.
      • Molesworth: Account of Denmark 1694
      • Echard: Roman History 1695 2 v.
      • Hotoman: Franco-Gallia 1665
      • Ludlow: Memoirs
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece 1722 2 v.
      • Puffendorf: Introduction to the History of Europe 1728
      • ″ Present State of Germany 1696
      • Raleigh: History of the World, abridged 1698
      • Sir William Temple: Observations upon the Provinces of the Netherlands 1673
      • Vertot: History of Revolutions in Sweden 1721
      • ″ History of Revolutions in Portugal
      • Spelman’s Posthumous Works Oxford, 1698
      • Selden’s Opera 3 v. 1726
  • 3. BENJAMIN RUSH, PHILADELPHIA
    • Library Catalogue, 1790 (MS in the Library Company of Philadelphia)
      • Rollin’s Roman History
      • Goldsmith’s Roman History
      • Rappin History of England
      • Universal History
      • Macaulay’s History of England
      • Robertson’s History of Charles the Vth
      • Goldsmith’s History of England
      • De Lolme’s English Constitution
      • Political Disquisitions James Burgh
      • Harrington, Oceana
      • Vertot, Revolutions of Portugal
      • Sharp’s Declaration of the People’s Rights
      • Bolingbroke’s Letters on Patriotism
      • Kennett’s Antiquities
      • Tacitus, Opera

C. The Southern Colonies

  • 1. ROBERT “KING” CARTER, COROTOMAN, LANCASTER COUNTY, VIRGINIA
    • Library Catalogue, 1732 (Louis B. Wright, “The Gentleman’s Library in Early Virginia,” Huntington Library Quarterly, 1 [1937], 3–61)
      • Coke on Littleton 1628
      • Coke’s Institutes
      • Nathaniel Bacon, An Historical & Political Discourse 1689
      • Sidney’s Discourses 1698
      • Baker’s Chronicles 1643
      • Burnet’s History of his Own Time 1724–34
      • Camden’s Britannia 1586
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion 1702–4
      • Echard’s Roman History 1698–99
      • Sir William Temple, Introduction to the History of England 1695
      • Ludlow’s Memoirs 1698–99
      • Puffendorf’s Introduction to the history of Europe 1699
      • Rushworth’s Historical Collections 1680–1701
      • Rapin’s History of England 15 v. 1725–31
      • Tacitus, Works, translated by Thomas Gordon 1728–31
  • 2. WILLIAM DUNLOP, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VIRGINIA
    • “William Dunlop’s Library” May 25, 1740 (William and Mary College Quarterly, 1st Ser., 15 [1907], 275–79)
      • Rapin History of England
      • Burnet’s History of his Own Time
      • Temple’s Works
      • ″ Memoirs
      • Rollin’s Historie Ancienne
  • 3. WILLIAM BYRD II, WESTOVER, CHARLES CITY COUNTY, VIRGINIA
    • (Byrd died in 1744, and the catalogue of his library was compiled subsequently; MS in the Library Company of Philadelphia)
      • Brady’s History of England
      • Baker’s Chronicle
      • Cambden’s Britannia
      • Harrington’s Oceana
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
      • Ludlow’s Memoirs
      • Molesworth’s Account of Denmark
      • Temple’s Memoirs
      • Milton’s History of England
      • Echard’s History of the Revolution
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Sweden
      • Rushworth’s Historical Collections 7 vol.
      • Kames’s Antiquities of England British Antiquities
      • Coke’s Institutes
      • Bracton, de Legibus
      • Seldeni, Fleta
      • Fortescue’s Laws of England
      • Mirror of Justice [Andrew Horn?]
      • Hale’s Common Law
      • Henry Care’s English Liberty 2 copies
      • Bolingbroke Dissertation upon Parties
      • James Burgh Britain’s Remembrancer
      • Locke on Government
      • Tacitus Opera 4 vol.
  • 4. “COUNCILLOR” ROBERT CARTER, NOMINI HALL, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, VIRGINIA
    • Library Catalogue, 1772 (William and Mary College Quarterly, 1st Ser., 10 [1902], 232–41; 11 [1903], 21–28; grandson of “King” Carter, “Councillor” Carter died in 1804; he had over 1500 volumes in his library by 1774.)
      • Postlethwayt’s Dictionary of Trade and Commerce
      • Locke’s Works 3 v.
      • Temple’s Works 2 v.
      • Ackerley’s Britannick Constitution
      • Spelman’s Works
      • Bacon’s Government Historical Discourse
      • Raleigh’s History of the World
      • Cooke on Littleton
      • Sidney on Government
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries
      • Universal History 21 v. & supplement
      • Bolingbroke Dissertation upon Parties
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland
      • Echard’s Roman History
      • Hale’s History of the Common Law
      • Kaims’s Law Tracts
      • Montesquieu’s Spirit of Laws 2 v.
      • Kennet’s Roman Antiquities 2 sets
      • Salmon’s History of England
      • Molesworth’s Account of Denmark
      • Smollet’s History of England 10 v.
      • Littleton’s History of Henry VII 3 v.
      • Locke on human understanding
      • Oldcastle’s Remarks on the History of England. Reprinted from The Craftsman, written by Bolingbroke
      • Potter’s Greek Antiquities
      • Robertson’s History of Scotland 2 v.
      • Thoyras [Rapin], History of England
      • Gordon’s Tacitus 4 v.
      • Voltaire History of Charles XII of Sweden 3 v.
      • Sarpi History of the Council of Trent
      • Hume’s History of England 8 v.
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Sweden
      • Littleton’s Life of Henry II 2 v.
      • Burnet’s History of his own Time of England 6 v.
      • Plutarch’s Lives 7 v.
      • Addison’s Works 3 v.
      • Trenchard’s Tracts 2 v.
  • 5. THOMAS JEFFERSON, MONTICELLO, ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA
    • a.The First Library (burned at Shadwell, 1770; this list compiled from books inherited from Peter Jefferson, 1757, from the Virginia Gazette Day Books for the 1760s, and the invoice from Messrs Perkins, Buchanan and Brown, October, 1769. See Boyd et al., eds., Jefferson Papers, I, 34.)
      • David Hume’s History of England
      • William Robertson’s History of Scotland
      • Coke’s Institutes
      • Kames’s Historical Law Tracts
      • Dalrymple’s Essay on Feudal Property
      • Matthew Hale’s History of the Common Law
      • William Petyt, Jus Parliamentum
      • Thornhagh Gurdon’s History of Parliaments
      • Locke, On Government
      • Ellis, Tracts on Liberty
      • Warner’s History of Ireland
      • ″ History of the Civil Wars in Ireland
      • Montesquieu, Oeuvres
    • b.The Second (Main) Library 1770–1815
      • (1) Jefferson’s list for Robert Skipwith, August 3, 1771 (Boyd et al., eds., Jefferson Papers, I, 79–80) indicates his familiarity with the following items not noted in the first library.
        • Sidney on Government
        • Ld. Bolingbroke’s political works 5 v.
        • Blackstone’s Commentaries 4 v.
        • Rollin’s Antient history. Eng. 13 v.
        • Stanyan’s Graecian history 2 v.
        • Livy. (the late translation)
        • Sallust by Gordon
        • Tacitus by Gordon
        • Vertot’s Revolutions of Rome Eng.
        • Plutarch’s Lives by Langhorns 6 v.
        • Robertson’s History of Charles the Vth 3 v.
        • Clarendon’s history of the rebellion 6 v.
        • Locke on Education
      • (2) Added by 1783 (All the above items were included in the 1783 manuscript catalogue Jefferson prepared prior to his expected voyage to France. Original in the Massachusetts Historical Society. In addition the following historical works were listed.)4
        • Goldsmith’s Roman History
        • Kennet’s Antiquities of Rome
        • Universal History
        • Raleigh’s History of the World
        • Pelloutier’s Histoire des Celtes
        • Ld Molesworth’s edition of Franco-Gallia [TJ wanted but did not yet own a copy]
        • ″ ″ account of Denmark
        • Cambden’s Britannia
        • Verstegan’s Antiquities
        • Temple’s Introduction to the history of England
        • Brady’s History of England
        • Tyrrel’s History of England
        • Speed’s History of England
        • Baker’s Chronicle
        • Rapin’s Histoire d’Angleterre
        • Temple’s Works
        • Kennet’s compilation of a History of England, 1060–1702
        • Guthrie’s History of England, 54 A.C.–1702
        • Bish. Burnet’s History of his own times
        • Blackburne, ed., Memoirs of Thomas Hollis
        • Mrs. Macaulay’s History of England, 1603–1742
        • Chamberlayne’s Present State of Great Britain (1759)
        • Care’s English Liberties 2 copies
        • Fortescue on Monarchy
        • Acherley’s Britannic Constitution
        • Sommers’ rights of king & people
        • Nathaniel Bacon on government of England 2 copies
        • De Lolme sur la constitution d’Angleterre
        • [Hulme] An Historical Essay on the English Constitution
        • Stuart’s historical dissertation on the antiquity of the British constitution
        • Burgh’s Political Disquisitions
        • Rushworth’s Historical Collections
        • Spelman’s Works
        • Gordon and Trenchard, Cato’s Letters
        • ″ ″ ″ Independent Whig
        • Wharton True Briton
        • St. Amand’s historical essay on parliament
        • Petyt’s Antient Rights of the Commons of England
        • Selden on the judicature of parliaments
        • Parliamentary and Political Tracts by Atkyns and others
        • Wilkes’ Speeches
    • c.The Third Library, 1815–26
      • (From Nathaniel Poor’s auction list, President Jefferson’s Library [Washington, D.C., 1829])
      • Gillies, History of Greece 4 v.
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece 2 v.
      • Rollin’s Ancient History 9th volume
      • Vertot’s Roman History
      • Tacitus Cronovii et Gordon, Lat. Eng. 8 v. [this was TJ’s third collated version]
      • Echard’s Roman History 5th vol.
      • The Universal History, Ancient 20 v.
      • Guicciardini, Istoria d’Italia 2 v.
      • Davila, Guerre civile de Francia 6 v.
      • Milot’s History of France 3d vol.
      • Voltaire, Histoire de Charles XII
      • Puffendorf’s Introduction to History
      • Cambden’s Britannia
      • Verstegan’s Original of Nations
      • Baker’s Chronicle
      • Rapin’s History of England 15 v.
      • Rushworth’s Historical Collections 2d vol. fol.
      • Fox’s History of James II
      • Burnet’s History of his own Times 6 v.
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries 4 v.
      • Spelmani Glossarium fol.
    • d.The “Fourth” Library, 1824
      • (Jefferson’s catalogue for the University of Virginia, completed September 1824, formed the base for the 1828 Catalogue of the Library of the University of Virginia, ed. William H. Peden [Charlottesville, Va., 1945])
      • Stanyan’s Grecian History
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece
      • Vertot’s Revolutions de Rome
      • Gordon’s Tacitus
      • Basil Kennet’s Roman Antiquities
      • The Universal History
      • Vertot’s Revolutions de Portugal
      • Pelloutier, Histoire des Celtes
      • Ld Molesworth’s Account of Denmark
      • Camden’s Britannia by Gibson
      • Milton’s History of England
      • Brady’s History of England
      • Tyrrel’s History of England
      • Speed’s History of England
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
      • Temple’s Works
      • Rapin’s History of England
      • John Baxter’s New and Impartial History of England
      • Guthrie’s History of England and continuation
      • Burnet’s History of own times
      • Macaulay’s History of England
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland
      • Robertson’s History of Scotland
      • Warner’s History of Ireland
      • Dalrymple’s Essay on Feudal Property
      • Sullivan’s Lectures on Feudal Law
      • Kaims’s Historical Law Tracts
      • ″ British Antiquities
      • Spelman’s English Works
      • Filmer on Government
      • Sidney on Government
      • Nedham’s Excellencie of a free state
      • Nathaniel Bacon On the government of England
      • Acherley’s Britiannic Constitution
      • Tyrrell’s Bibliotheca Politica
      • Sir Thomas Smith, De republica Anglorum
      • Coke, Third Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England
      • ″ Fourth Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England
      • Kames, Historical Law Tracts
      • Sir John Dalrymple: Essay towards a general history of Feudal Property
      • Hale’s History of the Common Law
      • Warner’s History of Ireland
      • Pelloutier, Histoire des Celtes
      • ″ Histoire des Galates
      • Stanyan, Grecian History
      • Raleigh, History of the World
      • Malachy Postlethwayt, The Universal Dictionary of Trade and Commerce 1751
      • Spelman, De Terminis Juridicis
      • ″ Glossarium Archailogicum
      • William Somner, A Treatise of Gavelkind
      • Blackstone, Commentaries
      • Abraham Stanyan, An account of Switzerland 1714
      • William Camden, Britannia
      • William Temple, Observations upon the United Provinces
      • Paul Henry Mallet, Introduction a l’histoire de Danemark
      • William Guthrie, History of England
      • Robert Molesworth, An account of Denmark
      • Vertot, Histoire des Revolutions de Suède
      • Voltaire, Charles XII
      • Thomas Salmon, Modern History
      • [Obadiah Hulme] Historical Essay on the English Constitution, from the Saxon establishment 1771
      • Squire’s Enquiry into the Constitution of the Anglo-Saxon Government 1753
      • Sharpe, Declaration of the right of the people in legislation 1774
      • Care’s British Liberties 1767
      • Care’s English Liberties by Nelson 1719
      • Ellys on the Spiritual and Temperal Liberties of England 1763
      • Gilbert Stuart: Dissertation on the Antiquity of the English Constitution 1790
      • Burgh’s Political Disquisitions 1774
      • De Lolme’s Constitution of England
      • Fortescue on Monarchy
      • Sommers’ Judgement on the rights of Kings and People 1771
      • Rushworth’s Historical Collections 1659
      • Bolingbroke’s Political Writings
      • Gordon & Trenchard’s Cato’s Letters 1724
      • Gurdon’s History of Parliament 1731
      • Petyt’s Ancient Rights of the Commons 1680
      • ″ Jus Parliamentum 1739
    • e.Historical Works on which Jefferson made notes
      • (From The Commonplace Book of Thomas Jefferson, ed. Gilbert Chinard; Chinard observed “it is remarkable that … political philosophers occupy so little space.”)
      • William Robertson, History of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V
      • Francis Stoughton Sullivan, An Historical Treatise on the Feudal Laws
      • Montesquieu, Esprit des Lois (TJ: “has done mischief everywhere.”)
      • [Hulme,] An historical Essay on the English Constitution
      • Fortescue, De Laudibus Legum Angliae
      • David Hume, History of England
  • 6. JOHN MACKENZIE, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
    • (A Catalogue of Books Given and Devised by John Mackenzie Esquire to the Charleston Library Society. … [Charleston, 1772])
      • Burnet’s History of own Times 2 v. 1724
      • Camden’s Britannia 2 v. 1753
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion 1759 Oxford, 1721 2 sets
      • Harrington, Oceana 1747
      • Locke’s Works 3 v. 1759
      • Raleigh’s History of the World 2 v. 1736
      • Rapin’s History of England 2 v. fol. 1743
      • Sidney’s Discourse 1751
      • Bacon Nathaniel, on the Laws & Government of England 1760
      • Blackstone, Commentaries 1770 Oxford
      • Bracton, De Legibus 1640
      • Hume’s History of England 6 v. 1762
      • Lyttleton’s Henry II 2 v. 1760
      • Tacitus 2 v. 1721
      • Warner’s History of Ireland 1763
      • ″ History of Rebellion and Civil Wars in Ireland 1767
      • Bolingbroke’s Dissertation on Parties 1743
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland 1722 2 v.
      • Chamberlain’s Present State of Britain 1755
      • Coke’s Reports 7 v. 1738
      • Dalrymple on Feudal Property 1758
      • Kames’s Historical Law Tracts 1761 Edinburgh
      • Macaulay, History of England 4 v. 1769
      • Molesworth, Account of Denmark 1738
      • Montagu, Rise and Fall of ancient Republicks 1759
      • Plutarch’s Lives 6 v. 1758
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece
      • Smollett’s History of England 7 v. 1758
      • Stanyan’s Grecian History 2 v. 1751
      • Temple’s Works 1757
      • Cato’s Letters 4 v. 1755
      • Fletcher of Salton’s Political works Glasgow 1749
      • Gordon’s Tacitus 5 v. 1753
      • Rollin’s ancient history 12 v. 1749

IV. THE BOOK TRADE

A. New England

  • 1. JOHN MEIN, BOSTON PUBLISHER AND BOOKSELLER
    • 1765 Catalogue (Original in Massachusetts Historical Society)
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
      • Hume’s History of England to 1688 8 v.
      • Robertson’s History of Scotland
      • Potter’s Antiquities of Greece
      • Kennett’s Antiquities of Rome
      • Burnet’s History of his own Time
      • Ludlow’s Memoirs
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Portugal
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland 2 v.
      • Sidney on Government
      • Locke on Human Understanding
      • Temple’s Works
      • Kaims’s Law Tracts
  • 2. HENRY KNOX, BOSTON BOOKSELLER
    • 1773 Catalogue (A Catalogue of Books Imported and to be Sold [Boston, 1773])
      • Addison’s Cato, a Tragedy
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries
      • ″ Tracts chiefly relating to the Antiquities and Laws of England
      • Burgh’s Dignity of Human Nature 2 v.
      • Cato’s Letters 4 v.
      • Hume’s History of England 8 v.
      • Hawkins Pleas of the Crown
      • Hutchinson’s Hist. of Mass. 2 v.
      • History of Magna Charta
      • Independent Whig 4 v.
      • Kennet’s Roman Antiquities
      • Locke on Govt.
      • ″ on Education
      • ″ on Human Understanding
      • Macaulay’s (Mrs.) History of England 4 v.
      • Rappin’s Summary of the History of Eng. 3 v.
      • Rollin’s Ancient History 7 v.
      • ″ Roman History
      • Trenchard and Gordon’s Tracts 2 v.
  • 3. JOHN FOSTER CONDY, BOOKSELLER, UNION STREET, BOSTON
    • 1774 Booklist (Advertised “To be sold,” Boston-Gazette, Jan. 3 and 10, 1774)
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries, 5 vol.
      • Robertson’s History of Charles the 5th 3 vols.
      • Hutchinson’s History of Mass. Bay 3 vols.
      • Lord Sommers On Nations and King’s [sic]
  • 4. JOHN LANGDON, BOOKSELLER IN CORNHILL, BOSTON1774 Advertisement (Boston-Gazette, Feb. 7, 1774) Advertises “the 12th edition of Lord Somers Judgment of whole Kingdoms and Nations,” with remark that ten editions have been issued in London in less than twelve months. The 11th edition was published in Philadelphia in 1773, followed closely by this 12th edition from Newport, R.I., in 1774.
  • 5. SMITH AND COIT, HARTFORD BOOKSELLERS, 1772
    • a.1772 Advertisement (Connecticut Courant, July 28, 1772; see also issues of Aug. 3, Aug. 11, 1772)
      • Kimber’s History of England
      • Rapin’s History of England Abridg’d
      • Robinson’s [sic] History of Scotland
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
      • Cato’s Letters
      • Independent Whig
      • Locke on Government
      • ″ on Education
    • b.1773 Advertisement (Connecticut Courant, July 5 and 13, 1773)
      • As above, but adding
      • Goldsmith’s History of England
    • c.1776 Advertisement (Connecticut Courant, Feb. 12, 1776)
      • As above, but adding
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries
      • Mrs. Macaulay’s History of England
  • 6. HEZEKIAH MERRILL, HARTFORD BOOKSELLER, AND APOTHECARY
    • 1773 Advertisement (“Just imported from London,” Connecticut Courant, May 11, 1773; see also issue of Dec. 21, 1773)
      • Kimber’s History of England
      • Robinson’s [sic] History of Scotland
      • ″ History of Charles V
      • Rollin’s Antient History

B. New York and Pennsylvania

  • 1. GARRAT NOEL AND EBENEZER HAZARD, BOOKSELLERS, NEW YORK
    • 1771 Catalogue (Catalogue of Books [N.Y. 1771])
    • 1st category: “History, Voyages, and Travels &c.”
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland 2 vols.
      • Caesar’s Commentaries, tr. Prof, Duncan 2 v.
      • Goldsmith’s Roman History 2 v.
      • Hutchinson’s History of Mass. Bay 3 v.
      • Hume’s History of England 8 v.
      • Kennet’s Antiquities of Rome
      • Littleton’s History of King Henry II 4 v.
      • Livy’s Roman History tr. with Notes 8 v.
      • Mrs. Macaulay’s History of England 4 v.
      • Robertson’s Hist. of Scotland 2 v.
      • ″ Hist. of Charles V
      • Rollin’s Roman History 10 v.
      • ″ Antient History 12 v.
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Sweden and Portugal
    • “Law” category
      • Henry Care’s British Liberties, or the Freeborn Subject’s Inheritance
      • Dalrymple on Feudal Property
      • Kaims’s Historical Law Tracts
    • “Misc.” category
      • Burgh’s Dignity of Human Nature 2 v.
      • Bolingbroke’s Collection of Political Tracts
      • Home’s Lord Kames Essays concerning British Antiquities
      • Locke on Government
      • ″ on Education
    • “Pamphlets” category
      • North Briton Extraordinary
  • 2. NOEL AND HAZARD, NEW YORK BOOKSELLERS
    • 1773 Advertisement (“Imported in the last vessels, and to be sold by Noel and Hazard,” Rivington’s New-York Gazetteer, July 1, 1773)
      • Goldsmith’s Roman History
      • ″ History of England
  • 3. JOHN DONALDSON, NEW YORK BOOKSELLER
    • 1773 Advertisement (Rivington’s New-York Gazetteer, Sept. 9, 1773)
      • Lord Bolingbroke’s Miscellaneous Works 4 vols.
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Rome
  • 4. SAMUEL LONDON, SHIP-CHANDLER AND BOOKSELLER, NEW YORK
    • 1773 Advertisement (Rivington’s New-York Gazetteer, July 8, 1773)
      • Hume’s, M’Caulay’s, &c. Histories of England
      • Robertson’s Hist. of Scotland
      • Others “too numerous to insert particulars here.”
  • 5. WILLIAM GREEN, NEW YORK BOOKSELLER
    • a.1775 Advertisement (Rivington’s New-York Gazetteer, May 11, 1775)The Chronicles of the King’s of England … down to His present Majesty, George III “This excellent History contains a true Description of royal Life and Manners.”
    • b.1775 Advertisement (Rivington’s New-York Gazetteer, June 22, 1775)“Political Disquisitions by J. Burgh, Gentleman. 2 v. price 20/- Pa. peculiarly necessary at this time for all friends of Constitutional Liberty, whether Britons or Americans.” [Long quotation from Burgh’s Preface follows.]
  • 6. JAMES RIVINGTON, BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER
    • 1775 Advertisement (Rivington’s New-York Gazetteer, Nov. 23, 1775)
    • Advertisement for the complete Political Disquisitions by James Burgh (Robert Bell’s Philadelphia edition), which shows “how, and by what means, the royal, ministerial, and Parliamentary managers cajole, tempt, and bribe the people to commit suicide on their own liberties. … The perusal of the work at this important period, will be attended with the most salutary and certain advantages, if the inhabitants of America will be so rational, as to act wisely, in taking warning from the folly of others. …”
  • 7. ANDREW BRADFORD, BOOKSELLER, SECOND STREET, PHILADELPHIA
    • 1731 Advertisement (American Weekly Mercury, Dec. 28, 1731)
      • Burnet’s History of His Own Time
      • Temple’s Observations on the United Provinces
  • 8. DAVID HALL, PHILADELPHIA BOOKSELLER
    • a.Book orders to William Strahan, 1751–1765 (From David Hall Letterbooks, American Philosophical Society)
      • (1) Order of Mar. 28, 1751 (Letterbook #1)
        • Locke on Understanding
        • Addison’s Works
        • Raleigh’s History of the World (abridged)
      • (2) Order of Jan. 3, 1754 (Letterbook #1)
        • Gordon’s Tacitus
        • Locke on Education
      • (3) Order of Aug. 7, 1754 (Letterbook #1)
        • 3 Copies Kennet’s Roman Antiquities
        • 3 Copies Locke on Government
        • 3 Copies Cato’s Letters
      • (4) Order of Jan. 3, 1755 (Letterbook #1)
        • 2 Copies Gordon’s Tacitus
      • (5) Order of Apr. 4, 1757 (Letterbook #1)
        • Sidney on Government
        • Gordon’s Tacitus
        • Cato’s Letters
        • Locke on Education
      • (6) Order of Dec. 22, 1760 (Letterbook #2)
        • Sidney on Government
        • Montague’s Rise and Fall of Republicks
        • 3 Copies Rollin’s Ancient History
        • 3 Copies ″ Roman History
        • 6 Copies Cato’s Letters
        • 6 Copies Independent Whig
      • (7) Order of May 10, 1762 (Letterbook #2)
        • Burgh Britain’s Remembrancer 6 copies
        • Locke on Government 6 copies
        • Cato’s Letters 3 copies
      • (8) Order of Mar. 3, 1763 (Letterbook #2)
        • Cato’s Letters 3 copies
      • (9) Order of Dec. 17, 1764 (Letterbook #2)
        • 3 copies of Sidney on Government
    • b.Book Order for the Library Company of Philadelphia (In May 1763 David Hall reported to Strahan that he was now buying for the Library Company of Philadelphia and requested only “the latest and best Editions.”)
      • (1) Order of May 14, 1763 (Letterbook #2)
        • N[athaniel] Bacon on the Government of England
        • Postlethwaite’s Dictionary of Trade and Commerce
        • Ralph’s History of England
        • Tindal’s Continuation of Rapin’s from George II
        • Hume’s History of England
        • Blackstone’s Law Tracts
        • Also “For Mr. Thomas Mifflin” Rapin’s History of England & Tindal’s contin.
      • (2) Order of May 3, 1764 (Letterbook #3)
        • Coke upon Littleton “for a customer”
        • Hume’s History of England
        • Gordon’s Tacitus
      • (3) Order of Dec. 20, 1764 (Letterbook #3)
        • “Orders for the Amicable Library Co.”
        • 2 Copies of Henry Care’s English Liberties
      • (4) Order of Dec. 16, 1765 (Letterbook #3)
        • 3 copies Sidney on Government
        • 1 copy Macaulay’s History of England
    • c.Sale List, 1765 (Broadside, on deposit in the Library Company of Philadelphia)
      • Kennet’s Roman Antiquities
      • Locke, On Government
      • Puffendorf’s Introduction to the History of Europe
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Rome
      • Sidney on government
      • Gordon’s Tacitus
      • Bolingbroke’s Letters on Patriotism
      • Fletcher’s Works
      • Cato’s Letters
    • d.Sale List, 1768 (Broadside, on deposit in the Library Company of Philadelphia)
      • Vertot Revolutions of Sweden [listed twice]
      • Robertson’s & Buchanan’s History of Scotland
      • Sidney on Government [listed twice]
      • Hume’s History of England
      • Vertot’s revolutions of Rome
      • Kames’s British Antiquities
      • Gordon’s Tacitus
      • Cato’s Letters
      • Tacitus Opera
    • e.Sale List, 1769 (Broadside, on deposit in the Library Company of Philadelphia)
      • Coke on Littleton
      • ″ 2nd, 3d, 4th Institutes
      • Rapin’s History of England
      • Sydney on Government
      • Blackstone’s Great Charter
      • ″ 1st, 3rd, 4th vols. of Commentaries
      • Vertot Revolutions of Sweden
      • Lyttleton’s History of Henry II
      • Hume’s Letters on History of England
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland
      • Cato’s Letters
      • Independent Whig
      • Fletcher’s Political Works
  • 9. RIVINGTON AND BROWN, BOOKSELLERS, NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA
    • a.1762 Catalogue (A Catalogue of Books, 1762, original in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania)
      • Locke’s Works
      • Bolingbroke’s Works
      • Stanyan’s Grecian History
      • Temple’s Works
      • Montagu’s Rise and Fall of antient Republicks
      • Rapin and Tindal, History of England (“with Cuts”)
      • Echard’s Roman History
      • “The Annal of Tacitus, an Author of singular Wisdom and Energy, elegantly Translated, by Mr. Gordon, the author of Cato’s Letters, and the Independent Whig.”
      • Harrington’s Oceana (Toland)
      • Hume’s History of Britain “a Work of first Class”
      • Kames’s Historical Law Tracts
    • b.1762 “A Library of a Gentleman of genteel Taste” (Rivington and Brown’s Catalogue, 1762, beginning page 83)
      • Rapin’s History of England 2 v. fol.
      • Cambden’s Britannia 2 v.
      • Temple’s Works 2 v.
      • Burnet’s History of Own Times 2 v.
      • Gordon’s Tacitus
      • Kennett’s Antiquities
      • Echard’s Roman History
      • Independent Whig
  • 10. WILLIAM BRADFORD, BOOKSELLER, PHILADELPHIA
    • a.1760 Catalogue (Catalogue of Books “Just Imported from London. To be sold at the London Coffee House, Philadelphia,” 1760, original in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania)
      • Rapin’s History of England
      • Burnet’s History of Own Times
      • Smollett’s History of England
      • Independent Whig 4 v.
      • Cato’s Letters 4 v.
      • Echard’s Roman History
      • Temple’s Works
      • Rollin’s Antient History
      • ″ Roman History
      • Gordon’s Tacitus
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland
    • b.Auction Sale List, 1769 (Broadside, on deposit in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania)
      • Burnet, History of his Own Times
      • Rapin’s History of England
      • Clarendon’s History of the Rebellion
      • Sidney on Government
      • Bolingbroke, Works
      • Vertot’s Revolutions of Spain
      • Harrington’s Works
      • Temple’s Works
      • Locke’s Works
      • Bolingbroke’s Dissertation on Parties
      • Robertson’s History of Charles V
      • Hume’s History of England
      • Bolingbroke on Study, on Patriotism
      • Molesworth’s Account of Denmark
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
      • Cato’s Letters
  • 11. ROBERT MCGILL, MARKET STREET BOOKSELLER, PHILADELPHIA
    • 1773 and 1775 Advertisement (Pennsylvania Gazette, Sept. 22, 1773, Nov. 3, 1775)
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
      • Robertson’s History of Charles V
      • ″ History of Scotland
      • Moyle’s Tracts
      • Kennet’s Antiquities of Rome
  • 12. ROBERT BELL, BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER, PHILADELPHIA
    • 1771 Auction Advertisement (Pennsylvania Packet, Dec. 2, 1771)
      • “Amongst which are … Mrs. Macaulay’s history of England.”

C. The Southern Colonies

  • 1. DIXON AND HUNTER, WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA
    • 1775 Catalogue (“A Catalogue of Books for Sale,” Virginia Gazette, Nov. 25, 1775: Dixon and Hunter published the Gazette; their advertisement covered the entire front page and much of the second.)
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries
      • Buchanan’s History of Scotland 2 v.
      • Care’s British Liberties, or the Free Born Subject’s Inheritance
      • Kennett’s Antiquities of Rome
      • Locke’s Essay on the Human Understanding
      • Robertson’s History of Scotland
      • Rapin’s History of England 21 v.
      • Wharton True Briton 2 v.
      • Temple’s Works 4 v.
      • Bolingbroke’s Miscellaneous Works 4 v.
      • Rollin’s Ancient History
  • 2. WILLIAM AIKMAN, BOOKSELLER, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
    • 1774 and 1775 Advertisement (Maryland Gazette, June 23, 1774; see also issues of Nov. 17, 1774, Feb. 16, 1775, and July 20, 1775)
      • Hume’s History of England
      • Macaulay’s History of England
      • Goldsmith’s History of England
      • Littleton’s Henry II
      • Blackstone’s Commentaries
      • Bolingbroke’s Works (London, 1754)
  • 3. GEORGE WOOD, “STATIONER AND BOOKBINDER IN ELLIOTT-STREET, CHARLESTON”
    • 1768 Advertisement (South-Carolina Gazette, May 18, 1768) “He likewise has a collection of curious books, consisting of histories, voyages, travels, lives, memoirs, novels, plays, etc., which are lent out to read. …”
    • A catalogue (not located) was available at Wood’s shop.
  • 4. NICHOLAS LANGFORD, BOOKSELLER IN BROAD STREET, CHARLESTON
    • a.1768 Advertisement (South-Carolina Gazette, Aug. 22, 1768)
      • “Lately imported from London. … A neat and choice Collection of Books.”
    • b.1769 Advertisement (“His second collection of choice and useful BOOKS,” South-Carolina Gazette, Nov. 23, 1769)
      • Robertson’s Life of Emperor Charles V
      • Dodsley’s Annual Register
      • Hume’s Robertson’s and Macauley’s Histories
  • 5. FRANCIS NICHOLSON, BOOKSELLER IN KING STREET, CHARLESTON
    • 1768 Advertisement (South-Carolina Gazette, Oct. 3, 1768)
    • “Just Imported in the Friendship. … A Neat Collection of New Books; Consisting of Law, Physick, History and Divinity.” Catalogue at the shop.
  • 6. ROBERT WELLS, BOOKSELLER, CHARLESTON
    • 1771 Advertisement (South-Carolina Gazette, May 23, 1771)
    • Advertises a “grand Feast of HISTORICAL ENTERTAINMENT,” namely the third volume of William Robertson’s “celebrated” History of Charles V. Boasts also of constantly maintaining “the LARGEST and most COMPLETE STOCK of BOOKS to be met with in America.”
  • 7. SAMUEL GIFFORD, BOOKSELLER, CHARLESTON
    • 1772 Advertisement (South-Carolina Gazette, Nov. 26, 1772)
    • “Lately arrived from London … has taken a Store in Broad-Street Charleston … which he has opened as a Circulating Library.” The fee is £1 per year, or 12/-per six months, and 3d for a catalogue. New books can be kept four days, others up to one month.

The typeface used for this book is Bembo, produced by Monotype in 1929. It is based on a roman cut at Venice by Francesco Griffo in 1495. The companion italic is based on a font designed in Venice in the 1520s by Giovanni Tagliente. Bembo is a graceful and versatile face of genuine Renaissance structure.

This book is printed on paper that is acid-free and meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, Z39.48-1992.(archival)

Book design by Louise OFarrell, Gainesville, Florida

Typography by Tseng Information Systems, Inc., Durham, North Carolina

Printed and bound by Worzalla Publishing Co., Stevens Point, Wisconsin

[1.]This item was not Stuart’s but the anonymously published essay now ascribed to Obadiah Hulme. It was a similar error—in favor of Allan Ramsay—which attracted sufficient notice at Columbia, later, to be copied generally.

[2.]This initial catalogue no longer exists, and the following historical selection is drawn from the compilation by Edwin Wolf 2nd. Catalogues were published in 1735, 1741, 1746, 1757, 1764, 1770, and 1775.

[3.]The Adams books are mainly distributed among three repositories: the Stone Library back of the Adams mansion at Quincy; the Boston Athenaeum; most are at the Boston Public Library. The BPL issued a catalogue of its holdings of Adams books in 1917; in 1938 Henry Adams and Worthington C. Ford issued A Catalogue of the Books of John Quincy Adams Deposited in the Boston Athenaeum, which identified the books of John Adams and indicates when they have his marginal comments. It would seem that several of the following works were in Adams’s hands in the 1770s and 1780s, and he failed to list them in his 1790 catalogue.

[4.]The entire collection that made up Jefferson’s enormous second library is expertly catalogued in E. Millicent Sowerby, ed., The Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, 5 vols.