SPL Hand Coloured Rare Book Collection Featuring Norman R Bobins

If you would like to get in touch, please feel free to contact: email hidden; JavaScript is required

HERIOT, George.
Travels Through the Canadas, Containing a Description of the Picturesque Scenery on some of the Rivers and Lakes; with an Account of the Productions, Commerce, and Inhabitants of those Provinces.

Rare, sought-after copy in very desirable and handsome condition. Based upon extensive travels in the Canadas and Maritime colonies mainly from 1792 by the deputy postmaster general. One of the most important books about Canada. Heriot also vividly covers the range of "natives"; farmers and homesteaders, the women, and the Irish. Attractive aquatints match the light personal style of this first-rate travel account. Heriot unrolls the full chart of Canadian regions and of the potential tourist routes.

Published
London, Richard Phillips, ca 1807.
References
Hill 801; Sabin 31489; Abbey II 618 (plates only); Prideaux 254-5; Field 687; Lande 433; Streeter Sale 3658; TPL 805; Dionne 934; Field 687; Gagnon I:1657; Bobins vol 1, 50.
Plates
27
Binding/Size
M=4to
Value
0-5000
Published
London, Richard Phillips, ca 1807.
Ref
1046

FIRST EDITION. Recent ½ gilt-lined calf with marbled boards, spine with six gilt-bordered compartments of raised bands and blind-tooled floral motifs, burgundy morocco labels on compartments two and three, gilt text on six, edges speckled red, endpapers renewed. A handsome example of this Canadian travel book. Complete with 28 plates (6 are folding; including the frontispiece), 26 of which are finely hand-coloured (plus the folding map). The plates are engraved by Stadler and Lewis after Heriot. Size 4to. All plates as called-for are present; however, some are mis-paginated, three single-page plates with old tears repaired. Some offsetting from the plates; otherwise, an excellent copy, text, and plates are clean and crisp. P. (4), blank, frontis, title, blank, preface iii-vi, contents vii-xii, 1-602, directions for placing the plates, advertisement, (4). Includes a printing of Father Rasle’s vocabulary of the Algonquian language. Wide margins. “The Scotsman Heriot was postmaster-general of British North America (Upper Canada) from 1799 to 1816. He took his orders directly from London, so there was usually friction with the colonial governors. Heriot devoted himself a good deal to travel into the western parts of Canada and the U.S. It is impossible to tell where he traveled, as his narrative is merged with other accounts. However, all are of interest, and his book has a wealth of detail and has much information on the fur trade, voyages to the North, Indians of the North and West, Eskimos, and the codfish industry. One authority called this book ‘the most complete description of British America which has ever been published.’ Heriot was an accomplished artist who painted and sketched scenery and Indians all over the West. The many fine illustrations in this volume are taken from his work. Indeed, this is the earliest and most important aquatint book published in Canada. The second part of the book is a scholarly study of the Indians of both North and South America. Heriot had access to the documents and books at the fine library of the Jesuits at Quebec, which he had used to publish a history of Canada in 1804. He used these unique materials to compile an in-depth study of Indian governments, customs, religions, linguistics, and agriculture. The role of the Jesuits in America was also studied. Sabin states: ‘Part second contains a minute description of the peculiarities of various nations of American Aborigines, principally derived from other printed works.' Coloured plates in order: 1. View of Quebec, taken from Point Levi (folding panorama). 2. View at St Paul's Bay, on the River St Lawrence. 3. Quebec from Cape Diamond. 4. View of Quebec from the Distillery at Beauport. (Repaired) 5. Fall of Montmorenci. 6. Fall of Montmorenci in Winter. 7. View of the Falls of Chaudiere, none Miles West of Quebec. 8. View of the Falls of Niagara from the bank near Birche's Mills. 9. View of Jeune Loretti, the Village of the Hurons, nine Miles North of Quebec. 10. Fall of La Puce. 11. View of the Lower Fall of La Puce. 12. Ruins of Chateau-Richer, with Cape Tourment. 13. View on the Upper Lake St Charles, near Quebec. 14. View on the River Etchemin, near Quebec. 15. New Bridge, on the River Jacques Cartier. 16. City of Montreal (taken from the Mountain). 17. Cascades of the St. Lawrence. 18. British Fort at Niagara (taken from the East Bank of the St. Lawrence). 19. The Whirlpool of the St Lawrence. 20. View of the Falls of Niagara from beneath the bank on the Fort Slausser side. 21. Fall of the Grande Chaudiere, on the Outaonais River. 22. La Danse Ronde; Circular Dance of the Canadians (folding panorama). 23. Minuets of the Canadians (folding panorama). 24. Encampment of Domiciliated Indians (folding panorama). 25. Costume of the Domiciliated Indians of North America. 26. Moose Deer of North America (17 hands high). 27. Map of the River St Lawrence.