An Account of the Present State of Egypt : Containing its Situation, Extent and Divisions, rivers, bays, harbours, and capes, climate, diseases, air, soil, and productions, chief towns, population, manners, customs, and a description of the various inhabitants

Remmey, John

Published by Printed for John Reid, No. 106 Water Street, by M. L. & W. A. Davis, New York, 1799

About this Item

Scarce American account of the state of Egypt, published during Napoleon's Egypt Campaign, with an ownership inscription of the Green Press of New London, Ct., the second printing press in existence in the American colonies. The Green family was one of the earliest printing families of the American colonies, Samuel Green (ca.1614 - 1702) having taken over the first American printing press around 1649 from Stephen Day (Daye) and his son, Matthew, who began printing about 1639 in the Massachusetts Bay colony. At the first blank leaf of this volume, written in contemporary hand, is "Green's Press, Mr. Hart's". The topic of war in Egypt and Napoleon's invasion was an important one to the newly formed United States. As Remmey states, "at a time when the nations of Europe are engaged in a destructive and ruinous War, and one of them has actually transported a numerous army to the shores of Egypt, and made that ancient part of the Eastern world the seat of their hostilities, it may not, perhaps, be deemed improper to give an account of the present state of that country ." (Preface). Remmey's sources include "Norden, Savary, Nieubuhr, Bruce, Volney's Travels, and Payne's Universal Geography". Complete with the 2 copper engraved folding maps engraved by Benjamin Tanner, one a map of Egypt and the second of the Battle of Aboukir, titled "Disposition of the English & French Fleets, at the commencement of the Action, August 1st, 1798". The battle plan shows the positions of Admiral Horatio Nelson's and Vice Admiral Breuy's fleets, with an inset "A View of Bokier (sic) Castle". Both folding plates in very good condition. The last leaf printed with an Advertisement for a future pamphlet to be published "in the course of a short period, if the French army have penetrated into the province of Syria, or into Arabia ." Samuel Green, the progenitor of the Green family of printers, had numerous children. Twenty two of his descendants (including three sons) and his wife's brother became printers. Samuel Green's son Thomas helped edit and print the first newspaper in the Connecticut colony, the 1755 New Haven Gazette (for the owner, Parker & Company). Thomas Green next founded the Connecticut Courant (in Hartford) in 1764, America's longest continuous running newspaper, still in existence as the Hartford Courant. Thomas and his brother Samuel went on to found the Connecticut Journal (New Haven) in 1767. Timothy Green, brother of Thomas, took over the Connecticut Gazette in 1763, and changed the name to the New London Gazette. Additionally, Thomas Green, Jr. joined his father and Uncle Samuel on the Connecticut Journal sometime after its founding, later taking it over. The Connecticut Journal was published under that name until 1799, then went through a series of title changes, but survived up to 1987 as the Journal Courier. 8vo, [5], 10-107pp, [1], [2] folding maps. The Appendix includes "an accurate and impartial account of the late decisive Naval Action in the road of Aboukir, which is illustrated by a Plan, said to be correct, of the position of the British and French fleets at the commencement of the action." (Preface). In the original marbled stiff paper wrappers, with printed title label applied. Wrappers rubbed with a few small tears at foredge, not affecting the title label. Original stitched binding still secure. Some light foxing internally. Overall a very good copy. At the tail end of the book, in the text, second to last page, is the signature "Wm Eldridge, New London". There is a William Eldridge of New London who was one of the commissioners who laid out the "fire lands" in reparation for the "Connecticut sufferers" in the western end of the Connecticut Western Reserve, in what is now Ohio. This was restitution for residents whose homes had been burned in the Revolution by British forces. Evans 36202; OCLC: 3833343. An historically important colonial item.

Seller Inventory # 22431

Bibliographic Details

• Title: An Account of the Present State of Egypt : Containing its Situation, Extent and Divisions, rivers, bays, harbours, and capes, climate, diseases, air, soil, and productions, chief towns, population, manners, customs, and a description of the various inhabitants
• Publisher: Printed for John Reid, No. 106 Water Street, by M. L. & W. A. Davis, New York
• Publication Date: 1799
• Binding: Wraps
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Seller catalogs:
  • AMERICANA