NOTES ON COLORADO; AND ITS INSCRIPTION IN THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT.
Published by [London: Printed by Witherby and Co., 1871].
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Seller: William Reese Company, New York, NY, U.S.A.William Reese Company
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A lecture given before the British Association of Science at Liverpool on September 26, 1870, in which William Gilpin lays out a grand and elaborate theory of geopolitics, making the claim that America and Denver in particular is destined to become the center of world civilization. Gilpin (181394) was a land speculator, politician, soldier, author, and in the words of historian J. Christopher Schnell "one of the leading advocates of Western expansion." Gilpin's first western experience was as a member of the Fremont expedition of 1843. He thereafter became a tireless advocate for the economic potential of the Rockies, especially Colorado, where he became the first territorial governor in 1861. In the present lecture, Gilpin articulates a vision of America's manifest destiny: "The American realizes that 'Progress is God.' He clearly recognizes and accepts the continental mission of his country and his people. His faith is impregnably fortified by this vision of power, unity, and forward motion." Inspired by the theories of the German naturalist and philosopher Alexander von Humboldt, Gilpin indulges in sweeping statements and generalizations of geographical determinism, claiming for instance that the "stumpendous longitudinal Cordillera" of the Rocky Mountains "segregates the physical globe into two hemispheres. These two hemispheres present the basin of the Atlantic towards the rising sun, that of the Pacific towards the setting sun. Here is the supreme meridian altitude up to which the whole globe slopes! To this crowning ridge human society, emerging from the two ocean basins, is at present climbing; the two halves front face to face; they march to meet to unite and harmonize over this summit." According to Gilpin, it is to "the pioneers," with their "infallible judgments" and "intrepid valour," that "the American people owe the selection of Colorado and the auspicious metropolitan site of Denver." "With the pioneer army rests the glory which has vindicated the mission of America, which preserves, enlarges, and perpetuates the continental union of the States, elsewhere rocked to its foundations, and enervated by nepotism to the foolish fashions of Europe." Fully embracing the role of economic booster, Gilpin touts the region's "[p]astoral agriculture, mining, arable agriculture, manufactures, commerce," and its "supreme climatic excellence." Soon to become "the mining laboratory of the world," Colorado, Gilpin insists, represents "the paragon of all geographical positions." This is the second edition of 1871, with the same collation and imprint as the first of 1870. The front wrapper bears the following printed note: "From the Author, on his leaving England March, 1871." An intriguing articulation of some of the more bizarre ideas to come from one of the American West's most eccentric champions. HOWES G194. GRAFF 1557. WILCOX, p.50 (1st ed). WYNAR 1860 (1st ed). BRADFORD 1902. ANB 9, pp.72-3. DAB VII, pp.316-7. J. Christopher Schnell, "William Gilpin and the Cosmopolitan Road" in Montana the Magazine of Western History, Vol. 25, no. 1 (Winter 1975), p.41. Daniel J. Boorstin, The Americans: The National Experience (New York, 1965), pp.232-34. Original printed wrappers, neatly rebacked with half of original backstrip laid down. Wrappers tanned, some staining. Quite clean internally. Very good.…
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Bibliographic details
- Title
- NOTES ON COLORADO; AND ITS INSCRIPTION IN THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT.
- Author
- Gilpin, William:
- Publisher
- [London: Printed by Witherby and Co., 1871].
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William Reese Company - Americana
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