| |
|
|
|
|
|
Catalogue
74
America
|
|
Rare Proclamation announcing
the Constitutional Act of 1791 |
|
81. [LOWER CANADA. PROCLAMATION.] [Alured Clarke, Lieutenant-governor,
1790-96]. Proclamation, Declaring when the Act of the 31st Geo:III.
shall have effect in the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada. Proclamation
qui déclare le temps ou l'Acte de la 31me. de Geo:III. aura
effet dans les Provinces du Haut et du Bas-Canada... [Quebec, ca.1797-1800?].
First edition, first printing. $400
4to; pp.16; caption title, English and French on facing pages, continuous
pagination; disbound, very clean. A very good copy.
TPL 645 (reprint); Tremaine 1184. This proclamation puts into effect
the Constitutional Act of 1791, which divided the old province of
Quebec into the two Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada. The text
also contains a proclamation which stipulates the constitutional
divisions of Lower Canada into counties, cities and towns and specifies
the number of representatives for each entity, with orders to create
the first provincial parliament for Lower Canada. "In the absence
of Dorchester, the governor-in-chief, Alured Clarke, the lieutenant-governor
of Lower Canada, issued these proclamations of Nov. 18, 1791, May
7, 1792 and May 14, 1792, giving effect to the Constitutional Act
and issuing writs for the first provincial parliament of Lower Canada."
(TPL) Tremaine states that this work was reprinted around 1806 and
included two textual corrections, while the final page of text was
mispaginated: p.17. This is a rare printed item, and one of the
early examples of Canadian printing, which began in Halifax in 1751.
|
|
|
|
The First Rumblings of Unrest
|
|
82. [LOWER CANADA]. The Quebec Gazette - Gazette de Quebec.
[Montreal], June 22, 1837. Volume XIV, No. 35. Montreal, John Charlton
Fisher and William Kemble, 1837. $450
Folio; pp. [361]-368; untrimmed and last leaves unopened; old folds;
some wear to fold on first leaf, affecting a few words; pp. [361]-364
are in English and pp. 365-368 are in French.
Beaulieu & Hamelin, "Les Journaux du Québec de 1764
à 1964," no. 1777. This journal was published weekly
from 1823 to 1840. This issue contains a proclamation issued under
William IV's name by Archibald, Earl of Gosford, governor-general
of Upper and Lower Canada, bearing on the unrest generally felt
in Lower Canada, which later in the same year turned into open rebellion.
"Whereas certain of His Majesty's Subjects, in different parts
of this Province, have recently held Public Meetings, and thereat
adopted Resolutions having for their object the resistance of the
lawful authority of the King and Parliament, and the subversion
of the laws ... I do hereby enjoin and strictly command all Magistrates
in and throughout the Province, all Officers of Militia, Peace Officers
and others ... to oppose and frustrate the insidious designs adverted
to in this Proclamation ... ".
|
|
|
|
By the Renowned Geologist
|
|
83. LYELL, CHARLES. A Second Visit to the United States of
North America. London, John Murray, 1849. Two volumes. First edition.
$400
Large 12mo; pp. 368; pp. xii, 385; several illustrations in the
text; complete with half-titles; recent full calf; marbled fore-edges.
A very good copy.
Howes L562; Sabin 42763; Clark III, 352: "More than half of
the two volumes... pertain to the South. Lyell's scientific interest
took him along the regular routes as well as into the remoter corners
seldom seen by other travelers. Lyell's description of the coastal
islands of the southeastern coast, erosion, topography and fossils
in Georgia and Alabama are an important contribution to travel literature,
while his detailed observations of the Mississippi Valley from the
delta to the mouth of the Ohio River equal or excel the accounts
of other travelers."
|
|
|
|
Uncut, Unopened and Unpressed - A Fine Copy
|
|
84. M'CARTHY, JUSTIN. Dictionaire [sic] de l'Ancien Droit
du Canada ou Compilation des Édits, Déclarations Royaux,
et Arrets du Conseil d'État des Roix de France concernant
le Canada, &c. Québec, John Neilson, 1809. First edition.
$1,175
8vo; 3 ff, pp. 247. Original paper wrappers, crudely rebacked with
paper; old waterstain on wrappers and at margin of few leaves; lacks
half-title, but otherwise a very good, tight, uncut, unopened, and
unpressed copy of this scarce work, with the mispagination of pp.
42-43.
TPL 854 (defective copy); Lande 581; Dionne I:93; Gagnon I:2294;
Hare & Wallot 206; Vlach, "Laurenciana," 504; Vlach,
"Cat. Collectif," 756. The author [1786-1832] compiled
these rules and regulations while still a student; he was not admitted
to the bar until 1812. The work covers the period 1628 to 1763 when
Canada was a colony of France, and M'Carthy lists the laws that
governed New France at that time. Some of those mentioned, inter
alia, pertain to the acquisition of land, freeing of slaves, the
limits of towns, hunting, domestic animals, the Company of 100 Associates,
the West Indies Company, land concessions, the Superior Council,
the fortifications of Montreal, the establishment of hospitals,
playing card money, seigniorial rents, furs and fur-trading, and
numerous other areas relating to religion, justice, and the general
fabric of life. A scarce work.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
85.
M'KEEVOR, THOMAS. A Voyage to Hudson's Bay, During the Summer
of 1812. Containing a Particular Account of the Icebergs and other
Phenomena which present themselves in those Regions; also, a Description
of the Esquimeaux and North American Indians; ... London, Sir Richard
Phillips & Co., 1819. First edition. $400
8vo; pp. 78; 6 lithographed plates. Recent cloth. A very good, very
clean copy.
Sabin 43396 (5 plates only); Arctic Biblio. 10643; Lande 1314; TPL
910-911; Peel 60; Gagnon II:1345. The author was medical advisor
to Selkirk's expedition of 1812 and here notes the customs, habits
and appearance of the Northern Indians and of the Inuit, as well
as certain natural and physical phenomena such as polar bears and
icebergs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
