Bibliotheca Americana: a dictionary of books relating to America, from its discovery to the present time, Vol. 1 zw12z569x

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Bibliotheca Americana.

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DICTIONARY _

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Books relating to America, , FROM ITS DISCOVERY TO THE PRESENT TIME.

By JOSEPH SABIN.

Vouume I,

A painfull work it is I'll assure you, and more than difficult, wherein what toyle hath been

taken, ag no man thinketh so no man believeth, but he hath made.the trial.” ,

+ Ant.a Wood, Preface to the History of Oxford.

AMSTERDAM

ON. ISRAEL : (PUBLISHING DEPARTMENT)

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UNCHANGED REPRINT OF THE: EDITION NEW-YORK, 1868. |

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TO

J. CARSON BREVOORT, Eso., OF BROOKLYN, N. Y.,

TO WHOM I AM GREATLY INDEBTED FOR HIS EARLY ENCOURAGEMENT, CORDIAL COOPERATION, AND SCHOLARLY SUPERVISION OF MANY OF THESE PAGES,

THIS VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY

JOSEPH SABIN. |

New York, September 1, 1868. _

NOTICE. As it is my intention to issue a preface to the whole work with the last volume, I now, at the conclusion of Vol. I., content myself with reproducing, with some alterations, the Prospectus issued December 5, 1866, and remarking that the list of authorities, therein referred to, will be enlarged and reprinted with the last volume.

Hereafter the work will proceed with more rapidity and greater recularity. JosEpH SaBin.

New York, September 1, 1868.

PROSPECTUS. Arter nearly four years’ labor, in arranging and classifying the material which had accumulated on my hands in the course of some fifteen years of research, I am at last able to publish the following specimen of my projected ‘‘ DicTionary oF Books RELATING TO AMERICA.”

Had the magnitude and extreme difficulty of the undertaking been presented to my mind in full proportions at the outset, I should never have attempted it; and, indeed, I may remark, that I have more than once almost determined upon its abandonment; but a deep sense of its importance, however imperfectly it may be executed, and a strong partiality for bibliographical pursuits, have stimulated me to continue my labor, until the work has attained such a degree of completeness as

to justify its publication, and render its conclusion a task of comparative ease; and I now present this volume as a fair specimen of what the work is intended to be, and respectfully invite for it a candid examination. The plan I have adopted 1s briefly this: An alphabetical arrangement, under the names of authors, and, in the case of anonymous writers, under the most obvious. subject. .

In the arrangement of the Spanish, Portuguese, |

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* French, and Dutch proper names, I have followed the best authorities; but, as these differ, I have made free » use of Cross References, and remark, with Plutarch,* ““On the subject of names, however, the irregularity of custom, would we insist upon it, might furnish us with discourse enough.” Anonymous works are arranged with more difficulty.

The subject most obvious to one mind is obscure to another. Books having reference to a State or City have sometimes been placed under the name of that State or City. Collections, Proceedings, and Transactions of Societies will be found under the zame of the Society; as for the rest, they will usually be found under the first word of the title-page, particles excepted. The last vol-

ume will consist of an Index of Subjects, which will obviate some of these difficulties. Review ‘‘ Notices’’ of the more important books will

be referred to, and, in the case of a rare book, a capital letter following the title will indicate some Public Library in which it may be found. The words ‘‘Relating to America” are used with a wide meaning, and it is probable that serious and proper objection may be taken to some titles of books introduced; as, for example, the various works by the early New-England Divines. It must not be forgotten, however, that, in many respects, the New-England Govern-

ment was a Theocracy, and the works of these Divines had much to do with shaping its institutions; ar all * Life of “Caius Marius.”

xiii events, they are books sought for with avidity, and bought at high prices by the collectors of ‘‘ Americana,”’

and, if only for that reason, have a right to appear here. I shall not attempt to anticipate the many criticisms

which may be made. I shall be glad to have errors pointed out and improvements suggested, and respect:

authors. |

fully solicit the cooperation and assistance of gentlemen who have given their attention to any or many particular I conclude this preliminary notice with the remark, that,

whenever possible, I have examined the books for myself, and have described them with all necessary minuteness. Of those not within my reach, I have been compelled to content myself with such descriptions as have come under my notice in the list of authorities quoted

on the cover of Part I. of this work,* or sometimes from a less trustworthy source—a Bookseller’s Catalogue. Should I wait to make this bibliography as full

and exact on all points as I trust it will generally be found, I should never complete it. It will, perhaps, save inquiry, if I here state that the

number of parts of which the work will consist is a question I cannot answer; yet, while I design to make it as complete as possible, my own remarks on the books will be distinguished by their brevity.

The Parts will be issued with all convenient speed, and subscriptions will not be received for anything less

1867. ,

than the entire work. JosEpH SaBIN.

| ¥ This Dictionary is published first in parts, of which No. I. appeared in January,

EXPLANATORY. The Initials which precede the Numbers, at the end of the Description, indicate certain public Libraries in which the books may be consulted. A. signifies Astor Library, New York. B. < Public Library of Boston. BD.