Dean Bibliography

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The biblographic memo Barbara C. Dean created in 1975 for Colonial Williamsburg has served as a primary source for the Wolf Law Library's George Wythe Collection since 2005.

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June 16, 1975

TO:           Mrs. Stiverson

FROM:     Barbara C. Dean

RE: George Wythe's Library


Source material concerning George Wythe and his library is extremely scarce. However, we do know that he was a great scholar and a man of varied interests. His knowledge of the classics was renowned. Hemphill says that in classical literature "lay through out a long lifetime his chief intellectual interest, and until he was about fifty years of age, his unremitting diligence in self-instruction was concentrated primarily on the acquisition of facts and principles recorded by the writers of ancient Greece and Rome."1 It is impossible to know exactly which classics Wythe read, but there are references to Justinian's Roman code, Homer's Iliad, Cicero’s orations, Tacitus, Polybius, Vitruvius, Euripedes, Herodotus, Phlegon, Virgil, Xenophon, Theocritus and Terence. Wythe also made a detailed study of the Greek and Latin languages. He kept a notebook containing "notes of his personal research in the etymology of Greek and Latin words. About 150 pages of this book … contain his comparisons of Latin equivalents with the original Greek text of Homer’s Iliad and with other Hellenic literature."2 Wythe's knowledge of the law was no less far reaching. He was a prominent member of the bar, a law professor and judge of the Court of Chancery. Wythe found time

1W. Edwin Hemphill, "George Wythe the Colonial Briton...," p. 87-8. Hereafter cited as Hemphill.
2Ibid., p. 88.

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to pursue other subjects as well. He taught himself French, and after moving to Richmond, learned Hebrew. He studied architecture, algebra, mathematics, natural philosophy, and physical science. He was a music lover and an amateur gardener. As he grew older, Wythe became more immersed in a life of books. He "became ever more pedantic and obscure. At the same time he sought out more and more the most esoteric of information."3

There are a few titles which we definitely know Wythe-possessed. These are listed below. In each case the source is noted after the entry.


3 William Clarkin, Serene Patriot: A Life of George Wythe, p. 186. Hereafter cited as Clarkin.
•Colonial Williamsburg Foundation owns a copy of this book.

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  • Three journals from Lord Botetourt's estate. [The Botetourt inventory.]
  • Virginia. Laws, statutes, etc. 1776 at a General Assembly.... Williamsburg, 1776. [Contains Wythe's signature. Owned by the Virginia State Library.]
  • ____________________. Laws, statutes, etc. 1779, May. Acts passed at a General Assembly.... Williamsburg, [1779]. [Contains Wythe's signature. Owned by the Virginia State Library.]
  • ____________________. Laws, statutes, etc. 1780, May. Acts passed at a General Assembly.... Richmond, [1780]. [Contains Wythe's signature. Owned by the Virginia State Library.]
  • [Wythe, George.] Between Joseph Wilkins, Administrator of His Late Defunct Wife Sarah...and, John Taylor, and William Urquhart.... Without name of place or printer, n.d. [Richmond, Thomas Nicolson, 1796]. [Sowerby, catalog number 1763.]
  • ____________________. Between William Fowler and Susanna his Wife, Plaintiffs, and, Lucy Saunders, an Infant, by James A. Patterson Her Guardian, Defendent. Without name of place or printer, n.d. [Richmond, Thomas Nicolson, 1796?]. [Sowerby, catalog number 1762.]
  • ____________________. Between William Yates and Sarah his Wife, Plaintiffs and Abraham Salle, Bernard Markham, Edward Moseley, Benjamin Harris, and William Wager Harris, Defendents. Without name of place or printer. [Richmond, Thomas Nicolson, 1796?]. [Sowerby, catalog number 1764.]
  • ____________________. Case upon the Statutes for Distribution. Richmond, printed by Thomas Nicolson, 1796. [Sowerby, catalog number 1760.]

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  • ____________________. Love against Donelson and Hodgson. Without name of place or printer. [Richmond, Thomas Nicolson, 1796?]. [Sowerby, catalog number 1765.]
  • ____________________. A Report of the Case between Field and Harrison, Determined by the High Court of Chancery, in Which the Decree was Reversed by the Court of Appeals. 1796. [Sowerby, catalog number 1761.]


Wythe bought several books from the Virginia Gazette Office, and ordered others from John Norton and Sons of London. We don't know if they were purchased for himself or for others, but inasmuch as they are all titles in his fields of interest, it is highly possible that he bought them for himself.

  • Almanack, interleaved. [Virginia Gazette Daybooks, 1764-1766, p. 121. Hereafter cited as Daybooks.]

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  • Britton, first ed. London, Robert Redman, 1504[?]. Second edition, London, printed by the assignes of John Moore Esquire, [Miles Fletcher, John Haviland and Robert Young], 1640. [Wythe to Norton May 29, 1772. Mason, p. 243.]
  • •Burrow, Sir James. Reports of Cases Adjudged in the Court of King's Bench, since the Death of Lord Raymond, 5 vols. London, 1766-80. [Wythe to Norton May 7, 1770. Mason, p. 134.]
  • A True Account of the Whole Proceedings of the Parliament in Ireland Beginning March 25, 1689...with the Establishment of Their Forces There. (A letter from Dublin, June the 12th, 1689.) The Journals of the House of Lords. Minutes of the Rouse of Commons. London, 1689. [Wythe to Norton August 3, 1769. Mason, p. 101.]

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  • Parliaments, 1 set. [Daybooks, 1764-66, p. 177.]
  • bull;Pufendorf, Samuel von, Baron. An Introduction to the History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe. Begun by Baron Pufendorf, enlarged and continued down to the year 1743, by M. Martiniere..... Improved from the French by J. Sayer, 2 vols. London, 1748. [Daybooks, 1750-52, p. 54.]
  • Stith, William. A Sermon, Preached before the General Assembly. Williamsburg, 1746. [Daybooks, 1750-52, p. 99.]
  • ____________________. The Sinfulness and Pernicious Nature of Gaming. A Sermon Preached before the General Assembly of Virginia; at Williamsburg, March 18, 1752. Williamsburg, 1752. [Daybooks, 1750-52, p. 99.]

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Another major source for titles are the commonplace books and other records kept by Wythe's students. It seems reasonable to assume that any book Wythe would assign his pupils to read, he would have first studied himself.

  • Beccaria Bonesana, Cesare. An Essay on Crimes and Punishments, translated from the Italian; with a commentary, attributed to Mons. de Voltaire, translated from the French. London, J. Almon, 1767. [Clarkin, p. 42.]
  • •Burrow, Sir James. Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in the Court of King's Bench, Since the Death of Lord Raymond, 5 vols. London, 1766-80, [Marshall, p. 42.]


••A copy is in the Peyton Randolph house, but in as much as we know Randolph owned a copy, we prefer not to move this book.

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  • Cases in Chancery [1660-1688]. London, 1735. [Marshall, p. 42].
  • Coke, Sir Edward. A Booke of Entries.... The second edition carefully corrected. London, printed by John Streator, etc., and to be sold by George Sawbridge, etc., 1671. [Marshall, p. 42.]
  • ____________________. The First Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England: or a Commentary upon Littleton, not the Name of the Author Only, but of the Law it Selfe.... The 4th ed. London, printed by M. F. [Miles Flesher], I. H. [John Haviland] and R. Y., assignes of J. More, Esquire, 1639. [Marshall, p. 42.]
  • ____________________. The Second Part of the Institutes of the Lawes of England. Containing the Exposition of Many Ancient, and Other Statutes, etc. London, M. Flesher & R. Young, for E. D. [E. Dawson], R. M. [R. Meighen), W. L. [W, Lee] and D. P. [D. Pakman], 1642. [Nathan Schachner, Thomas Jefferson, p. 36. Hereafter cited as Schachner.]
  • ____________________. [[Third Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England|The Third Part of the Institutes of the Laws of England: Concerning High Treason and Other Pleas of the Crown, and Criminall Causes. London, M. Flesher, for W. Lee, & D. Pakeman, 1644. [Chinard, p. 14.]
  • ____________________. [[Reports of Sir Edward Coke|The Reports of Sir Edward Coke Kt. in English in Thirteen Parts Compleat.... [London] In the Savoy, printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edward Sayer, Esq;) for R. Gosling, W. Mears, W. Innys [and others], 1738. [Marshall, p. 42.]

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  • Gilbert, Sir Geoffrey. History and Practice, of the High Court of Chancery....]] [London] In the Savoy, 1758. [Marshall, p. 43.)
  • ____________________. Reports of Cases in Equity Argued and Decreed in the Courts of Chancery and Exchequer.... London, 1742. [Marshall, p. 44.]
  • Godbolt, John. Reports of Certain Cases Arising in the Courts of Record at Westminster....[1575-1638]. London, 1652. [Marshall, p. 43.]
  • ____________________. Pleas of the Crown. London, 1759. [Marshall, p. 43.]
  • Harris, Homer. [Clarkin, p. 192.]
  • Herne, John. The Law of Conveyances; with an Exposition of Divers Obscure Words and Termes of Laws Used in Ancient Records, etc. 1656, 1658. [Alan Smith, "Virginia lawyers, 1680-1776...", p. 263. Hereafter cited as Smith.]
  • •Hobart, Sir Henry. The Reports of the Reverend and Learned Judge, the Right Honorable Sr. Henry Hobart, Knight and Baronet, Lord Chief Justice of His Majesties Court of Common Pleas [1603-1625]. London, 1724. [Marshall, p. 43.]

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  • •[Home, Henry, Lord Kames.] Historical Law-Tracts. The second edition. Edinburgh, printed by A. Kincaid, for A. Millar in the Strand, London; and A. Kincaid and J. Bell, in Edinburgh, 1761. [Hemphill, p. 127.]
  • ____________________. Principles of Equity. Edinburgh, printed by Alexander Kincaid His Majesty's Printer. For A. Miller, London; and A. Kincaid, and J. Bell, Edinburgh, 1760. [Kimball, p. 81.]
  • Horne (afterwards Horne Tooke), John. Or, the Diversions of Purley. Part I. London, J. Johnson, 1786. [Clarkin, p. 192.]
  • Hume. [Clarkin, p. 156.]
  • Littleton, Sir Thomas. Littleton's Tenures in English Lately Perused and Amended. London, 1661. [Marshall, p. 43.]
  • •____________________. Reports and Cases of Law; Argued and Adjudged in the Courts of Law at Westminster [1540-1615], 2nd ed. London, 1686-1687. [Marshall, p. 43.]
  • Locke, John. Essays. [Smith, p. 262.]
  • Lowth, Robert (Bishop of London). A Short Introduction to English Grammar; with Critical Notes. London, 1762. [Clarkin , p. 192.]
  • March, John. Some New Cases of the Years and Time of Henry VIII, Edward VI and Queen Mary. Collected out of Brooke's Abridgment [1540-1558]. London, 1651. [Marshall, p. 43.]

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  • Montesquieu. [Clarkin, p. 156.]
  • Plutarch. Lives. [Clarkin, p. 192.]
  • ••Popham, Sir John. Reports and Cases [King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Chancery, 1595-1597]. Second edition. London, 1682. [Marshall, p. 44.]
  • Raymond, Sir Thomas. Reports of Divers Special Cases Adjudged in the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer, in the Reign of King Charles II.... The second edition...with many hundred additional references, and three tables. [London] In the Savoy, 1743. [Marshall, p. 44. Chinard, p. 75.]

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  • Select cases from the Chancery reports of the time of Matthew Bacon. [Kimball, p. 81.]
  • Select cases from the subsequent reporters to the time of Matthew Bacon. [Kimball, p. 81.)
  • Sophocles. [Peter Carr to Jefferson April 18, 1787. Boyd, v. 11, p. 299.]
  • •Stanford, Sir William. Les Plees del. Coron.: Divisees in Plusiours Titles & Common Lieux. Per Queux Home plus Redement...Trovera, Quelq Dhose, que-il Quira, Rouchant les Ditz Plees. Composees par...G. Stamforde ...dernieremt corrigee avecques un table...des choses, etc. London, R. Tottyll, 1560. [Smith, p. 263.]
  • The Statutes at Large, in Paragraphs, and Sections or Numbers, from Magna Charta, to the End of the Session of Parliament, March 14, 1704.... 3 vols. London, printed by Charles Bell, and the executrix of Thomas Newcomb, deceas’d; and by assigns of Richard Atkins and Edward Atkins, 1706. [Clarkin, p. 42.]

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  • •Style, William. Regestum Practicale: or the Practical Register, Consisting of Rules, Orders and Observations Concerning the Common-Laws and the Practice Thereof: but More Particularly...in the Upper-Bench...Taken for the Most Part during the Time That...Lord Chief Justice Rolle Did Sit...There, etc. London, 1657. [Smith, p. 263.]


There is evidence that. Wythe had read several books not included in any of the above lists. It is possible that he borrowed one or all of these books from someone else, but it is also possible that they were in his library. At least we know that, he did indeed read them.

  • Admirandi Archimedis. Syracusani Monumenta Omnia Mathematica quae Extant...ex Traditione...Francisci Maurolici, etc. Panormi Sumptibus A. Giardinae, 1685. [Bernard Mayo, Henry Clay: Spokesman of the New West, p. 26. Hereafter cited as Mayo.)
  • Euripides. Alcestis, in Usum Scholarum Seorsim Excuse. Argentorati, T. Richelius, [1570?]. [Clarkin, p. 207.]
  • Journal of the Convention of Virginia. Richmond, Augustine Davis, 1788. [Boyd, v. 13, p. 329-330n. No known copies still extant.]
  • •Juvenalis, Decimus Junius. Ivn, Ivvenalis Satyrae XVI. A. Persil Satyrae VI. Ad Vetustiss, Scripta Exeplaria Emendatae: quorum Varias Lectiones ad Calcem Reiecimus. Lvtetiae ex officina Rob. Stephani typographi Regii, 1544. [Mayo, p. 26.]

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  • Shandy, Tristram. The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman, 9 vols. London, R. & J. Dodsley, T. Becket & P. A. Dehondt, 1760-1767. [Mayo, p. 26.][1]
  • Swift, Jonathan. Tale of a Tub.... 1704. [Mayo, p. 26.][2]


The following is a list of works we know Wythe wrote or collaborated on. Other of his writings are noted above.

  • [Wythe, George, et. al.] Report of the Committee of Revisors Appointed by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1776. Published by order of the General Assembly & printed by Dixon & Holt, Richmond, Nov. 1784. [Boyd, v. 2, p. 302.]

Alan Smith in "Virginia Lawyers 1680-1776..." discusses standard law books of the period and also mentions some of the works found in colonial Virginia law libraries. Listed below are the titles he mentions which I have not already listed. Although there is no proof that Wythe owned any of

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them, they are at least representative of his time.

  • Billinghurst, George. Arvana Clericalia: or, the Mysteries of Clerkship Explained.... Now Improved and Digested in a Regular Method, and Enlarged with Variety of Modern, Select, and Approved Precedents [by Henry Curson]. London, Richard Hare, Edward Place, 1705.
  • Brown, J. Reports, Court of Parliament, from 1701 to 1779, 8 vols. 2nd ed. Dublin, R. Colles, 1789.
  • [Brown (or Browne) W.]. Compendious and Accurate Treatise of Recoveries upon Writs of Entry in the Post, and Fines upon Writs of Covenant. 1678.
  • Burnet, Gilbert. The Life and Death of Sir Matthew Hale, Kt., sometime Lord Chief Justice of His Majesties Court of Kings Bench. London, for William Shrowsbery, 1682.
  • •Cowell, John. A Law Dictionary or, The Interpreter of Words and Terms.... [London] In the Savoy, printed by E. & R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, for J. Walthoe, etc., 1727.
  • ♦Dalton, Michael. The Countrey Iustice, Conteyning the Practise of the Iustices of the Peace out of Their Sessions. Gathered for the Better Helpe of Such Iustices of Peace as have not beene Much Conversant in the Studie of the Lawes of this Realme. London, the Societie of Stationers, 1618.
  • Directions for the Study of Law.
  • Forster, T. The Layman's Lawyer; or, Second Part of the Practice of the Law. Relating to the Punishments of Offences Committed Against the Publick Peace, with Presidents, also a Discourse Concerning Pardons and Remission of Punishment. 1658.
  • [Freeman, L.] Repertorium Juridicum; and Index to All the Cases in the Year Books, Entries, Reports, and Abridgments in Law and Equity, Beginning with Edward 1.... 1742. And Sir T. E. Tomlins, Repertorium Juridicum; a General Index to the Cases and Pleadings in Law and Equity in the Reports, Year Books, etc. London, 1786-87. Dublin, 1788.
  • Gilbert, Geoffrey. The Law of Distresses and Replevins, Delineated. Wherein the Whole Law under Those Heads is Considered. London, 1757.
  • Hale, Sir Matthew. Contemplations Moral and Divine. London, 1676.

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  • •Jacob, Giles. Every Man His Own Lawyer: or, A Summary of the Laws of England, etc. 1736.
  • ____________________. Lex Mercatoria: or, The Merchant’s Companion Containing All the Laws and Statutes Relating to Merchandize. [London] E. Curll, 1718.
  • Lilly, John. Modern Entries, Being a Collection of Select Pleadings in the Courts of Kings Bench, Common Pleas and Exchequer.... To Which is Added a Collection of Writs in Most Cases Now in Practice. [London] In the Savoy, 1723.
  • Malloy, Charles. De Jure Maritimo e Navali: or, A Treatise of Affairs Maritime, and of Commerce. London, 1676.
  • •Mercer, John. An Exact Abridgment of All the Public Acts of Assembly, of Virginia, in Force and Use Together with Sundry Precedents, Adapted Thereto. And Proper Tables. Williamsburg, printed by William Parks, 1737.
  • Noy, William. The Compleat Lawyer; or, A Treatise Concerning Tenures and Estates in Lands of Inheritance for Life, and for Yeares; of Chattells Reall and Personall, etc. London, 1651.
  • •Pufendorf, Samuel von, Baron. Of the Law of Nature and Nations.... Translated into English [by Basil Kennet and others]. The second edition... corrected, and compared with Mr. Barbeyrac's French translation, with the addition of his notes, etc. Oxford, A. and J. Churchill, 1710.
  • •Purvis, John. A Complete Collection of All the Laws of Virginia Now in Force. London, 1684.
  • •Rastell, John. [Les Termes de la Ley; or, Certain Difficult and Obscure Words and Terms of the Common Laws and Statutes of This Realm Now in Use, Expounded and Explained. Now Corrected and Enlarged with Very Great Additions Throughout the Whole Book, Never Printed in Any Other Impression.... London, printed by W. Rawlins, S. Roycroft and M. Flesher, assigns of Richard and Edward Atkins Esquires. For G. Walbanke, S. Heyrick, J. Place, J. Poole, and R. Sare, 1685.]

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  • Rastell, William, ed. A Collection of All the Statutes, From the Beginning of Magna Carta, Unto the Yere of our Lorde 1577, Which Were Before That Yere Imprinted, etc. [1557.]
  • Sheppard, William. Action Upon the Case of Slander. Or a Methodical Collection... of Thousands of Cases...of What Words are Actionable, and What Not. And of a Conspiracy, and a Libel, etc. London, Ch. Adams, J. Starkey & T. Basset, 1662.
  • Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, 2 vols. London, 1745.
  • Vattel, Emerich de. Le Droit des Gens, ou Principes de la Loi Naturelle Appliques a la Conduite et Aux Affaires des Nations et des Souverains, 2 tom. Leide, 1758.
  • •[Wentworth, Thomas, of Lincoln's Inn.] The Office and Duty of Executors; or, A Treatise Directing Testators to Form, and Executors to Perform Their Wills...According to Law...Enlarged with a Supplement...Rendring, the Whole...Conformable to the...Laws Now in Force.... By H. Curson. London, John Place, Rich. Sare, 1703.
  • Wingate, Edmund. An Exact Abridgment of All the Statutes in Force and Use from the Beginning of Magna Charta. Begun by E. Wingate...and Since Continued...Down to the year 1689, etc. [Edited by Joseph Washington.] 1704.
  • Wood, Thomas. An Institute of the Laws of England; or, the Laws of England in Their Natural Order, According to Common Use, etc. 2 vol. [London] In the Savoy, printed by Eliz. Nutt and R. Gosling for Richard Sare, 1702.


B. C. D.

Enclosure

Copy to
     Dr. Riley
     Mr. Short

References

  1. ↑ The Wolf Law Library purchased The Works of Laurence Sterne which contains The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy.
  2. ↑ According to the inventory Thomas Jefferson compiled after he received Wythe's library, George Wythe owned a 13 volume set of "Swift's works." Accordingly, the Wolf Law Library purchased The Works of Dr. Jonathan Swift which includes "The Tale of a Tub."
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