Wythe's Library

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George Wythe supported his voracious reading habits with an extensive personal library[1] but, if he made any record of its contents, that has not been found. When Wythe died in 1806, he bequeathed all his books to his favorite protégé, Thomas Jefferson.[2] For 200 years, very little was known about Wythe's library other than its existence within Jefferson's massive collection.

Selected Virginia legal titles including Daniel Call's copy of George Wythe's Decisions of Cases in Virginia, by the High Court of Chancery (1795).

Colonial Williamsburg attempted to identify specific titles as early as 1958 when Mary R.M. Goodwin, a senior researcher at the Rockefeller Library, wrote The George Wythe House: Its Furniture and Furnishings. Goodwin listed 54 titles and divided them into three categories: law books, journals, and miscellaneous. Within these categories, Goodwin identified several of the known surviving Wythe volumes. Goodwin's research laid the foundation for another Colonial Williamsburg attempt at reconstructing Wythe's library. In an internal memo[3], Barbara C. Dean expanded Goodwin's list to 189 titles by utilizing the published papers of Wythe's students and adding titles illustrative of the time.

Until 2008, the Goodwin and Dean bibliographies represented the extent of known information regarding Wythe's library. That changed with the discovery by Endrina Tay, a librarian at Monticello's Jefferson Library, and Jeremy Dibbell of the Massachusetts Historical Society, of a manuscript list in the hand of Thomas Jefferson which appeared to document dispersal decisions Jefferson made regarding Wythe's books.[4] Jefferson's inventory identifies 338 titles (649 volumes) with brief notations. In some cases, specific titles and editions can be derived from Jefferson's entries. In other instances, mystery remains.[5]

Tay and Dibbell's discovery led to the creation of two further bibliographies: George Wythe on LibraryThing which combines titles from the Jefferson inventory with other known items, and "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," an unpublished compilation by Bennie Brown, from the Bookpress Ltd. in Williamsburg.[6] Brown conducted extensive research, visiting each of the libraries with known or suspected Wythe volumes. He also combed primary sources, including the published legal records of Wythe's decisions and his arguments for the plaintiff in Bolling v. Bolling. The most recent version of Brown's bibliography includes 478 titles and provides much of the substantiating evidence for the Wolf Law Library's George Wythe Room.

Art

Astrology

Case Reports, Digests, and Statutes

England

Abridgments

  • Bacon, Matthew. A New Abridgment of the Law. 3rd ed. corrected. London: Printed by His Majesty's Law-Printers for J. Worrall and Co. ..., 1768. Held by W&M Law Library.

Court of Chancery

Court of Common Pleas

Court of Exchequer

Court of King's Bench

Multiple Courts

  • Ventris, Peyton, Sir. The Reports of Sir Peyton Ventris. 4th impression, carefully corrected. London, In the Savoy: Printed by E. and R. Nutt and R. Gosling for D. Browne ..., 1726. Held by W&M Law Library.

House of Lords

Statutes

United States

Virginia

Abridgments

Case Reports

Statutes

Cooking

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Legal

Other

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Economics and Finance

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Geography and Travel

  • Chastellux, François Jean, marquis de. Travels in North-America, in the Years 1780, 1781, and 1782. Translated from the French by an English gentleman, who resided in America at that period. With notes by the translator. London: Printed for G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1787. Held by W&M Law Library.
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Government

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History

General

American

  • Jefferson, Thomas. Notes on the State of Virginia. Paris: Philippe Denis Pierres, 1782. The Virginia Historical Society owns a copy Wythe gave to Benjamin Harrison, Jr.

Ancient

  • Caesar, Julius. C. Julii Caesaris Quae Exstant. Edition tertia. Londini: E [sic] typographaeo Mariae Matthews : Impensis J. & B. Sprint, B. Tooke, D. Midwinter, A. Bettesworth, J. Bowyer, H. Clements, Gul. Taylor, T. Ward, Gul. & J. Innys, & Gul. Churchill, 1719. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Josephus, Flavius. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by Sir Roger L'Estrange. London: Printed for Richard Sare ..., 1702. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Plutarch. Plutarch's Lives. Translated with notes historical and critical from M. Dacier. London: Printed for J. Tonson, 1727. Wythe's copy of volume 8 at the College of William & Mary. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Potter, John. Archæologia Græca: or, The Antiquities of Greece. 5th ed. London: Printed for J. Knapton, R. Knaplock, J. and B. Sprint, D. Midwinter, A. Bettesworth, R. Robinson, W. and J. Innys, J. Osborne, T. Longman, W. Mears, and A. Ward, 1728. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Sallust. C. Sallustii Crispi Opera Omnia quae Extant. Londini: typis Gul. Strahan. Impensis S. Ballard, W. Innys, A. Ward, T. Osborne, T. Longman, C. Hitch, E. Wicksteed, C. Bathurst, & M. Cooper, 1746. Wythe's copy owned by the Library of Congress.
  • Suetonius. C. Suetonii Tranquilli Opera Omnia Quae Extant. Londini: E typographaeo Mariae Matthews : Impensis R. Knaplock, J. & B. Sprint, B. Tooke, H. Clements, F. Gyles, R. Robinson, W. Churchil, & W. Meares, 1718. Held by W&M Law Library.

British

European

French

Italian

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Language and Rhetoric

  • Cicero, Marcus Tullius. M.T. Ciceronis Orationes Quaedam Selectae. Editio quarta, auctior & emendatior. Londini: Typis Gulielmi Sayes, impensis J. Knapton, R Wilkin, J. & B. Sprint, B. & S. Tooke, D. Midwinter, B. Cowse, G. Mortlock, W. & J. Innys, & A. Ward, 1722. Held by W&M Law Library.
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Legal Treatises

General

  • Blackstone, William, 1723-1780. Law Tracts. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1762. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Breton, John le. Britton. 2nd ed. London: Printed by the assignes of John Moore Esquire, 1640. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Fitzherbert, Anthony. The New Natura Brevium. 8th ed., carefully revised. London, in the Savoy : printed for Henry Lintot ... and sold by J. Shuckburgh, 1755. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Kames, Henry Home, Lord. Historical Law-Tracts. 2nd ed. Edinburgh and London: Printed by A. Kincaid, His Majesty's Printer, for A. Millar, London, and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, in Edinburgh, 1761. Held by W&M Law Library.

Administration of Criminal Justice

Civil Law

Civil Procedure

Commercial Law

Constitutional Law

Contracts

Courts

Criminal Law

  • Beccaria, Cesare. An Essay on Crimes and Punishments. Translated from the Italian, with a commentary, attributed to Mons. de Voltaire, translated from the French. London: Printed for J. Almon, 1767. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Gilbert, Geoffrey. The Law of Evidence. 2nd ed., corrected. London, In the Savoy : Printed by Catherine Lintot ... for W. Owen, 1760. Held by W&M Law Library.

Ecclesiastical Law

  • Burn, Richard. Ecclesiastical Law. 4th ed. London: Printed by W. Strahan and M. Woodfall, Law-Printers to the King's Most Excellent Majesty for T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1781. Held by W&M Law Library.

Equity

  • Ballow, Henry. A Treatise of Equity. London, in the Savoy: Printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edward Sayer) for D. Browne, at the Black Swan without Temple-Bar; and J. Shuckburgh, at the Sun next the Inner Temple gate in Fleetstreet, 1737. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Kames, Henry Home, Lord. Principles of Equity. Edinburgh: Printed by Alexander Kincaid, His Majesty's printer. For A. Millar, London; and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, Edinburgh, 1760. Held by W&M Law Library.

International Law

Property

Roman Law

Torts

Virginia Law

Wills

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Literature

American

English

  • Addison, Joseph and Sir Richard Steele, ed. The Spectator. Precise edition unknown.
  • Butler, Samuel. Hudibras. London: Printed for John Baker, at the Black-Boy in Pater-noster-Row, 1710. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Ireland, William Henry. The Abbess, A Romance. Baltimore, MD: Printed by S. Sower, and J. W. Butler, 1801.
  • Shakespeare, William. Works. Precise work and edition unknown.
  • Sterne, Laurence. The Works of Laurence Sterne. London : Printed for W. Strahan, J. Rivington and Sons, J. Dodsley, G. Kearsley, T. Lowndes, G. Robinson ... 1780. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Town, Mr., pseud. The Connoisseur. 3rd ed. London: Printed for R. Baldwin, 1757. Held by W&M Law Library.

French

Greek

  • Anacreon. Odes of Anacreon. Translated by Thomas Moore. Philadelphia: Printed and published by Hugh Maxwell, opposite Christ-church. 1804. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Euripides. The Tragedies of Euripides. Translated by R. Potter. London: Printed for J. Dodsley, Pall-Mall, 1781-1783. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Homer. Tēs tou Homērou Iliados. Edited by J. Moor and G. Muirhead. Glasguae: In aedibus Academicis, Excudebant R. et A. Foulis, 1756. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Homer. Homērou Odysseia. Oxford: Ek Theatrou en Oxonia, En tō etei 1750. Wythe's copy owned by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
  • Homer. Tēs tou Homērou Odysseias. Edited by J. Moor and G. Muirhead. Glasguae: In aedibus Academicis, Excudebant R. et A. Foulis, 1758. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Homer. The Iliad of Homer. Translated by Alexander Pope, Esq. London: Printed for Henry Lintot, 1750.
  • Homer. The Odyssey of Homer. Translated by Alexander Pope. London: Printed for Henry Lintot, 1752. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Sophocles. The Tragedies of Sophocles. Translated by Thomas Francklin. London: Printed for R. Francklin, 1758-1759. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Theocritus. The Idylliums of Theocritus. Translated by Francis Fawkes. London: Printed for the author by D. Leach and sold by J. and R. Tonson ..., 1767. Held by W&M Law Library.

Italian

Latin

  • Juvenal and Persius. D. Junii Juvenalis et A. Persii Flacci Satyrae. Interpretatione ac notis illustravit Ludovicus Prateus. Londini: impensis Tho. Dring, contra Hospitium Templariorum in vico Fleetstreet dicto, & Abel Swalle, ad insigne Monocerotis in Ludgatestreet, 1691. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Ovid. Publii Ovidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon Libri XV. In hac editione quinta fere notarum pars expungitur. Londini: Impensis S. Ballard, J. & P. Knapton, S. Birt, T. Longman, D. Browne [and 13 others in London], 1751. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Plautus, Titus Maccius. M. Acci Plauti Comoediae. Lugd. Batav., Roterod.: Ex Officina Hackiana, 1669. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Virgil. P. Virgilii Maronis Bucolica, Georgica, et Aeneis. Ex recensione Alexandri Cuningamii Scoti. Edinburgi: Apud G. Hamilton & J. Balfour, 1743. Wythe's copy owned by the Mount Gulian Historic Site, Beacon, New York. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Virgil. P. Virgilii Maronis Opera. Juxta editionem novissimam Parisiensem, a. 1722. Londini: Impensis W. Innys, 1746. Held by W&M Law Library.

Scottish

  • Macpherson, James. The Poems of Ossian. A new ed. London: Printed for W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1784-85. Held by W&M Law Library.

Spanish

  • Cervantes Saavedra, Miguel de. The History and Adventures of the Renowned Don Quixote.Translated by T. Smollett. 6th ed. London: Printed for F. and C. Rivington, T. Longman, B. Law, G.G.J. and J. Robinson, J. Johnson [and 12 others in London], 1792. Held by W&M Law Library.
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Mathematics and Engineering

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Philosophy

  • Aldrich, Henry. Artis Logicae Compendium. Oxoniae: E Theatro Sheldoniano, Impensis A. Peisley, 1723. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Hume, David. Essays. Precise edition unknown.
  • Montesquieu, Charles de Secondat, baron de. Œuvres de Monsieur de Montesquieu. Nouv. éd. rev., cor., & considérablement augm. par l'auteur. Londres: Nourse, 1767. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals. 3rd ed. corr. and amended. London: Printed by Tho. Braddyll, and are to be sold by most Booksellers in London and Westminister, 1694. Held by W&M Law Library.
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Religion

  • Grotius, Hugo. De Veritate Religionis Christianae. Editio novissima, in qua ejusdem annotationes ipsius textus verbis subjectae sunt. Amstelaedami: Apud Henricum Wetstenium, 1696. Held by W&M Law Library.
  • Minucius Felix, Marcus. Marci Minucii Felicis Octavius. Glasguae: In aedibus academicis excudebant Robertus et Andreas Foulis ..., 1750. Held by W&M Law Library.
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Science and Medicine

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See also

References

  1. Douglas L. Miller, "Jefferson's Library," in Thomas Jefferson: A Reference Biography (New York: Scribner, 1986), pp. 157-179.
  2. See the letters between Jefferson and Wythe's executor, William Duval, for a discussion of Wythe's bequest.
  3. Memorandum from Barbara C. Dean, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, to Mrs. Stiverson (June 16, 1975).
  4. Endrina Tay & Jeremy Dibbell, "Reconstructing a Lost Library: George Wythe's 'Legacie' to President Thomas Jefferson," Tales from the Vault, Common-Place, Jan. 2009.
  5. "Inventory of the Books Received by Thomas Jefferson from the Estate of George Wythe, Circa September, 1806," Massachusetts Historical Society. For a transcribed version, see "Library of George Wythe," Thomas Jefferson Libraries.
  6. Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available online at the Swem Library's Special Collections Research Center.

External links