The History of the Discovery and Settlement of America by William Robertson, 1835

Robertson, William, Frost, John. The History of the Discovery and Settlement of America, With an Account of His Life and Writings, To which are added Questions for the Examination of Students. Complete in One Volume. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1835. Harper’s Stereotype Edition. 8vo. Illustrated. Rebound in ¼ brown leather and tan cloth boards, with gilt tooling and titles to the spine, and a new archival slipcase. 

This is an early 19th century “Harper’s Stereotype Edition” of The History of the Discovery and Settlement of America by William Robertson, D.D. The book was published in New York by Harper & Brothers, in 1835. Created as a pedagogical version of Robertson's influential early history of America, this "Stereotype Edition” also includes an account of William Robertson’s life and writings and “Questions for the Examinations of Students” by John Frost. The book is illustrated with four frontispiece illustrations, including an engraved portrait of “W. Robertson D.D.”, “The First Discovery of America by Columbus”, “A Leader of the Savage Tribes Recording his Victories on a Tree”, and “Columbus Presenting the Productions of the New World to Ferdinand & Isabella.” The book has been beautifully rebound in ¼ brown leather and tan cloth boards, with gilt tooling and titles to the spine, and a new archival slipcase. 

William Robertson’s The History of the Discovery and Settlement of America was first published in 1777, in London and Edinburgh. It was the “the first sustained attempt to describe the discovery, conquest and settlement of Spanish America since Herrera's Décadas.”(Brading, 1991). Well researched and received, it was the "most highly regarded secondary source of its time" (Howes, 493). The book was reprinted and republished numerous times throughout the late 18th century and well into the 1840s.

In his History of America, Robertson "...alternated chapters of narrative concerning the Spanish conquest with chapters of description of Native American culture and society. With its dramatic sweep of narrative, combined with a provocative confrontation of two very different stages of civilization and a prose that was more flexible and evocative than that of his earlier books, the History of America is often regarded as Robertson's most interesting, original, and even Romantic work..." (Jeffrey R. Smitten in the ODNB) 

A widely respected Scottish historian, minister, and Principal at the University of Edinburgh, William Robertson (1721-1793) was the author of the History of Scotland, 1542–1603, as well as several volumes on the history of Spain and Spanish America. His approach to history had considerable contemporary influence, particularly his emphasis on the consistency of human nature across different time periods and societies. He was a notable figure in the Scottish Enlightenment, as well as a representative of the Church of Scotland's moderate party. He served as Chaplain of Stirling Castle as well as one of the King's Chaplains in Scotland.

CONDITION:

Octavo. Beautifully rebound in ¼ brown leather and tan cloth boards, with raised bands, gilt tooling, and gilt titles to the spine. New endpapers. Original marbled paper edges. Internally, the paper is mostly clean, save for several  inked notations from past owners, scattered foxing. Four engraved frontispiece illustrations: “W. Robertson D.D.”, “The First Discovery of America by Columbus”, “A Leader of the Savage Tribes Recording his Victories on a Tree”, and “Columbus Presenting the Productions of the New World to Ferdinand & Isabella.” 570pp. Presented with a new archival cloth slipcase with inlay.

Book Dimensions: 9 1/8"H x 5 7/8"W x 1 7/8"D. Slipcase Dimensions : 9 3/4"H x 6 1/8"W x 2 1/4"D

Accompanied by our company's letter of authenticity.