Australia manuscript - New South Wales - Tasmania
Wentworth, William Charles
£1,260
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs
Auction: 8 February 2023 at 10:00 GMT
Description
'A Statistical, Historical and Political Description of the Colony of New South Wales and its dependent Settlements in Van Dieman's Land. With a particular enumeration of the advantages which these Colonies offer for emigration, and their superiority in many respects over those possessed by the United States of America. By W.C. Wentworth Esq., a native of the Colony. Printed for Whittaker, Ave. Maria Lane, London, 1819', 4to (21.5 x 18cm), manuscript copy (not autograph), manuscript throughout in a neat copperplate hand, pp. 449, [7 (index)], inscription on front endpaper 'Copied at Sea, W. Eldridge, 1819', these words scored through, and 'J.S. ?Min, Hooghly 1830', pp.1-414 on laid paper watermarked 'G. Pike 1814', 'G. Pike 1815', 'G. Pike 1817', 'C. Wilmott', and '1806', and pp. 415 to end on wove paper; a couple of tiny wormholes up to p.72, contemporary calf, slight worming to binding, head and base of spine worn, internally very clean
Footnote
Note:
The present manuscript is a contemporary copy of Wentworth's work, not autograph.
William Charles Wentworth (1790-1872), explorer, author, barrister, landowner, and statesman, was the first to cross the Blue Mountains of Eastern Australia with Gregory Blaxland, founded the newspaper, The Australian, and campaigned for a free press, trial by jury and self-government. He played an important role in the Legislative Council, lent his support to squatters' demands for new land regulations, helped to establish state primary education in New South Wales, and played a major role in the establishment of the University of Sydney.
The text of this manuscript up to p.448 appears to be identical to the printed edition up to p. 450 (and also p. 466 of the printed edition) published in 1819. After p. 449 the present manuscript is followed by, the Index (2pp.) and 'Observations' (5pp.). The paper is watermarked 'G. Pike 1814' and 'G. Pike 1815' and 'G. Pike 1817', 'C. Wilmott', '1806', these dates all preceding the publication date of the first edition (1819).
Page 297 has a contemporary pencilled note initialled W.E. "June 1819 - a Bill is now in progress thro' parliament..." and there is a pencilled note at the very end 'Endeavour to procure a correct list of [--- ] to add to this with other observations. Also add on List of those in van Diemen's Land.'
The stylistic similarities of the autograph between the present manuscript and the manuscript of Jeffreys's Geographical and Descriptive Delineations of Tasmania, commonly called Van Dieman's Land, one of the Southern Islands of Australia principally compiled from a Manuscript in the possession of Leiut. Jefferyes, Commander of H.N. Brig Kangaroo, [also in this booksale] imply that they were both written out by the same person.
For a biography of William Charles Wentworth, see Australian Dictionary of Biography, William Charles Wentworth.
For a biography of George William Evans, see Australian Dictionary of Biography, George William Evans.
Provenance:
William Macpherson, the son of Colonel Allan Macpherson who bought the Blairgowrie Estate which included Newton Castle. He was born in India in 1784 and came to Scotland at the age of three with his parents. He emigrated to Australia in 1829, having spent a decade growing cotton in Berbice in the West Indies. He was Collector of Internal Revenue in New South Wales and later served (for 24 years) as Clerk of the Councils in New South Wales. He left agents and members of the family in charge of Blairgowrie Estate. He died in 1866 having lived in New South Wales for more than thirty-six years. By descent to the vendor.