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The History of the Province of New-York, From the First Discovery, To which is Annexed A Description of the Country, an Account of the Inhabitants, their Trade, Religious and Political State, and the Constitution of the Courts of Justice in that Colony, by William Smith, A.M. Printed for J. Almon, London, 1776, 334 pp, original leather binding, 8.5 x 5.5 , 8vo. In good condition. Hinges discretely and nicely repaired. Original boards have typical wear along edges and corners. Ink stain to front board at bottom edge. Corners rubbed. Spine lacks end-bands/tail exposed. Spine darkened and dried. Front fly leaf is chipped at edges/brittle. Dampness staining to text block particularly to title page and preliminaries. Thomas Maclean ownership on title page in ol hand. Text is typically toned with areas of light foxing and age-stain. Free of known marginalia. Binding remains intact. Sound with repairs. Please see photos. Second edition of the first history of New York up to 1736, 1st London edition printed in 1757. William Smith was a lawyer and judge in colonial New York. His history of New York detailed the history of the state from 1492 to 1732. Smith planned and began work on a sequel, treating 1732-1762, that was published posthumously in 1826. At first seeking to avoid revolution by siding with the British under Lord North, who proposed granting to the Americans everything short of independence, Smith eventually became a loyalist and emigrated to England. Still, his History gave him legitimacy as an expert on New York, for which he hoped to be granted command and territory by the British. The book comprises five sections, with the fifth containing a treatment of the legislative and judicial structures in pre-Revolutionary New York. . Seller Inventory # RAREA1776MQRR
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