| Marc LesCarbot — Nova Francia: Or the description of that part of New France, which is one continent with Virginia. Described in the three late Voyages and Plantation made by Monsieur de Monts, Monsieur du Pont Graue, and Monsieur de Poutrincourt, into the countries Calle |
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Nova Francia: Or the description of that part of New France, which is one continent with Virginia. Described in the three late Voyages and Plantation made by Monsieur de Monts, Monsieur du Pont Graue, and Monsieur de Poutrincourt, into the countries Calle |
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8vo., (7 x 5 4/8 inches). Roman and italic types, woodcut headpieces, ornaments, and initials (text block sprung from casing, title bifolium and preliminary gathering detached but present, tear on I1 crossing the text, lower corners torn away from Ii1-2). Contemporary limp vellum panelled gilt, "STS" in gilt to upper cover, "LS" to lower, smooth spine gilt and ruled in six compartments with gilt-stamped device in each, yapp fore-edges; half morocco slipcase. (covers somewhat worn and soiled, loss to upper right corner of upper cover). Provenance: Supra libros of "STS" on the front cover; sold by Goodspeeds to Frank Siebert in 1867; The Frank T. Siebert Library of the North American Indian and the American Frontier, his sale, Sotheby's New York, 21 May 1999, lot 3; engraved bookplate of Bruce McKinney, founder of Americana Exchange and bibliophile, on the front paste-down, his sale Bloomsbury Auctions, New York, 3rd December 2009, lot 62. THE SIEBERT COPY OF THE RARE ENGLISH EDITION OF THE FIRST HISTORY OF THE FRENCH SETTLEMENTS IN CANADA. An attractive and entirely unsophisticated copy. First published in French the same year as "Histoire de la Nouvelle-France", and translated into English by Pierre Erondelle, a French schoolmaster in London, at the request of Richard Hakluyt, who at this time was of considerable influence in the reconstituted Virginia Company. Despite these attempts to encourage English emigration to New France sales of "Nova Francia" must have been initially slow as unsold sets of sheets eventually passed to George Bishop's widow, then to her second husband Thomas Adams and finally at the latter's death in 1625, to the bookseller Andrew Hebb. He reissued them that year with a cancel title-page, many more of which survive than that of the original 1609 first issue. Lescarbot was a Humanist lawyer, who seeking "to flee a corrupt world" after some trouble with the courts in France, went out to New France, serving with Champlain in New France in 1606, as a member of the founding expedition of Port Royal. He returned to Europe in 1607. "Lescarbot's History is highly esteemed not only for its great veracity, but as the work of a candid and intelligent writer, and the first history of the French settlements in Canada" (Field). In spite of his early praise of his compatriot Champlain, the later editions after 1609 reflect an ongoing feud between the two explorers, including allegations that Lescarbot had stolen passages from Champlain's "Des Sauvages". Lescarbot removed favorable references to Champlain in editions after 1609 (though while together in New France he had written a sonnet praising Champlain's leadership). Nevertheless, he seemed in most respects a careful narrator, confirming the accuracy of much of Champlain's accounts of exploration and the founding of Quebec, and both men took a sensitive and respectful view of the Indians they encountered. (see Fischer). Church 341; European Americana 609/68; Field 916; Fischer. Champlain's Dream; Harrisse, Nouvelle France 19; JCB Catalogue II(i), 62--63 (second issue); Sabin 40175; STC 15491 (4 copies only); Vail 16; Waldon p. 53. Notes: (1) Leaf 1, conjugate with the title-page, is not described in any of the preceding references. (2) The map cited by several references (Sabin; European Americana) is likely a bibliographical ghost. N° de réf. du libraire 002389 |
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