Difference between revisions of "Interest of Great Britain Considered"

From Wythepedia: The George Wythe Encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 7: Line 7:
 
|link=https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/2077547
 
|link=https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/2077547
 
|shorttitle=Interest of Great Britain Considered
 
|shorttitle=Interest of Great Britain Considered
|author=Benjamin Franklin
+
|author=Benjamin Franklin with Richard Jackson
|editor=Richard Jackson?
 
 
|edition=Second
 
|edition=Second
 
|lang=English
 
|lang=English
Line 14: Line 13:
 
|publisher=Printed for T. Becket
 
|publisher=Printed for T. Becket
 
|year=1761
 
|year=1761
|pages=60
+
|pages=[2], 58
}}
+
|desc=8vo (20 cm.)
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin Benjamin Franklin] (1706-1790) was a natural philosopher, writer, and revolutionary American politician.<ref>J. A. Leo Lemay, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/52466 "Franklin, Benjamin (1706–1790)"] in ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed Oct 2, 2013.</ref> He was extremely influential in American politics while in the colony and abroad. In 1757 Franklin went to Great Britain as a delegate from the Pennsylvania Assembly to negotiate terms of taxation. While in London, he found the British very ignorant about America, and he began a campaign to educate them.<ref>Ibid.</ref> His first work in this line, "A Defence of the Americans", was published in the ''London Chronicle'' and was considered “the grandest statement of Americanism in the colonial period.”<ref>Ibid.</ref> A second pamphlet, ''The Interest of Great Britain Considered'', first published in 1760, “was partly responsible for convincing the British authorities to retain Canada rather than Guadeloupe at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War.”<ref>Ibid.</ref> The pamphlet was Franklin's longest writing, and historians also consider it to be his "most influential.”<ref>J. A. Leo Lemay, [http://www.anb.org/articles/01/01-00298.html "Franklin, Benjamin"] in ''American National Biography Online'' (Feb. 2000- ), accessed Oct. 2, 2013.</ref>
+
}}[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin Benjamin Franklin] (1706-1790) was a natural philosopher, writer, and revolutionary American politician.<ref>J. A. Leo Lemay, [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/52466 "Franklin, Benjamin (1706–1790)"] in ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed Oct 2, 2013.</ref> He was extremely influential in American politics while in the colony and abroad. In 1757 Franklin went to Great Britain as a delegate from the Pennsylvania Assembly to negotiate terms of taxation. While in London, he found the British very ignorant about America, and he began a campaign to educate them.<ref>Ibid.</ref> His first work in this line, "A Defence of the Americans", was published in the ''London Chronicle'' and was considered “the grandest statement of Americanism in the colonial period.”<ref>Ibid.</ref> A second pamphlet, ''The Interest of Great Britain Considered'', first published in 1760, “was partly responsible for convincing the British authorities to retain Canada rather than Guadeloupe at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War.”<ref>Ibid.</ref> The pamphlet was Franklin's longest writing, and historians also consider it to be his "most influential.”<ref>J. A. Leo Lemay, [http://www.anb.org/articles/01/01-00298.html "Franklin, Benjamin"] in ''American National Biography Online'' (Feb. 2000- ), accessed Oct. 2, 2013.</ref>
 
+
[[File:FranklinInterestGreatBritainConsidered1761Headpiece.jpg|center|thumb|400px|<center>Headpiece, first page of text.</center>]]
 +
==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
 +
According to the J. Royle Daybook, George Wythe purchased "Franklin's Pamphlet" in February of 1764.<ref>J. Royle Ms Daybook, Williamsburg Printing Office, 1764.</ref> Both Goodwin's pamphlet<ref>Mary R. M. Goodwin, [http://research.history.org/DigitalLibrary/View/index.cfm?doc=ResearchReports\RR0216.xml ''The George Wythe House: Its Furniture and Furnishings''] (Williamsburg, Virginia: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library, 1958), LI.</ref> and Brown's Bibliography<ref>Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433.</ref> suggest that this purchase represents ''Cool Thoughts on the Present Situation of our Public Affairs'' "published ca.1763."<ref>Goodwin, ''The George Wythe House'', LI.</ref> [[Dean Bibliography|Dean's Memo]]<ref>[[Dean Bibliography|Memorandum from Barbara C. Dean]], Colonial Williamsburg Found., to Mrs. Stiverson, Colonial Williamsburg Found. (June 16, 1975), 7 (on file at Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary).</ref> identifies the "Franklin Pamphlet" as ''The Interest of Great Britain Considered, With Regard to Her Colonies, and the Acquisition of Canada and Guadaloupe''. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe George Wythe's Library]<ref>''LibraryThing'', s. v. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe "Member: George Wythe"], accessed on June 28, 2013.</ref> on LibraryThing includes both titles, but links the "Franklin's Pamphlet" reference to ''Cool Thoughts''. In his bibliography of early American imprints, Charles Evans seems to justify Dean’s conclusion.<ref>The WorldCat record for Franklin’s ''Cool Thoughts'' contains the bibliographic note: "Attributed to Benjamin Franklin by Evans. First published as a supplement to the Pennsylvania journal, Apr. 26, 1764." In this note, "Evans" refers to the 14 volume opus, ''American Bibliography: A Chronological Dictionary of All Books, Pamphlets, and Periodical Publications Printed in the United States of America from the Genesis of Printing in 1639 Down to and Including the Year 1820''.</ref> Evans indicates that the first date of publication for ''Cool Thoughts'' was April 26, 1764, which would mean Wythe could not have purchased it in February.
  
==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
+
We do not know what edition of ''The Interest of Great Britain Considered'' Wythe owned. Dean listed publication information for three editions&mdash;London, 1760; Philadelphia, 1760; and the second London edition, 1761. The Wolf Law Library purchased a copy of the second edition (1761).
Listed in the J. Royle Daybook, ordered by George Wythe, February, 1764 - ''Franklin’s Pamphlet''.
 
  
 
==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
 
==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
 
+
Bound in period style faux half-calf with marbled boards.
  
 
View this book in [https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/2077547 William & Mary's online catalog.]
 
View this book in [https://catalog.swem.wm.edu/law/Record/2077547 William & Mary's online catalog.]
===References===
+
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  

Revision as of 12:19, 19 March 2014

The Interest of Great Britain Considered: with Regard to Her Colonies, and the Acquisitions of Canada and Guadaloupe, to Which are added, Observations Concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, Etc.

by Benjamin Franklin

Interest of Great Britain Considered
FranklinInterestOfGreatBritain1761.jpg

Title page from Interest of Great Britain Considered, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary.

Author Benjamin Franklin with Richard Jackson
Editor {{{editor}}}
Translator {{{trans}}}
Published London: Printed for T. Becket
Date 1761
Edition Second
Language English
Volumes {{{set}}} volume set
Pages [2], 58
Desc. 8vo (20 cm.)
Location [[Shelf {{{shelf}}}]]
  [[Shelf {{{shelf2}}}]]

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was a natural philosopher, writer, and revolutionary American politician.[1] He was extremely influential in American politics while in the colony and abroad. In 1757 Franklin went to Great Britain as a delegate from the Pennsylvania Assembly to negotiate terms of taxation. While in London, he found the British very ignorant about America, and he began a campaign to educate them.[2] His first work in this line, "A Defence of the Americans", was published in the London Chronicle and was considered “the grandest statement of Americanism in the colonial period.”[3] A second pamphlet, The Interest of Great Britain Considered, first published in 1760, “was partly responsible for convincing the British authorities to retain Canada rather than Guadeloupe at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War.”[4] The pamphlet was Franklin's longest writing, and historians also consider it to be his "most influential.”[5]

Headpiece, first page of text.

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

According to the J. Royle Daybook, George Wythe purchased "Franklin's Pamphlet" in February of 1764.[6] Both Goodwin's pamphlet[7] and Brown's Bibliography[8] suggest that this purchase represents Cool Thoughts on the Present Situation of our Public Affairs "published ca.1763."[9] Dean's Memo[10] identifies the "Franklin Pamphlet" as The Interest of Great Britain Considered, With Regard to Her Colonies, and the Acquisition of Canada and Guadaloupe. George Wythe's Library[11] on LibraryThing includes both titles, but links the "Franklin's Pamphlet" reference to Cool Thoughts. In his bibliography of early American imprints, Charles Evans seems to justify Dean’s conclusion.[12] Evans indicates that the first date of publication for Cool Thoughts was April 26, 1764, which would mean Wythe could not have purchased it in February.

We do not know what edition of The Interest of Great Britain Considered Wythe owned. Dean listed publication information for three editions—London, 1760; Philadelphia, 1760; and the second London edition, 1761. The Wolf Law Library purchased a copy of the second edition (1761).

Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy

Bound in period style faux half-calf with marbled boards.

View this book in William & Mary's online catalog.

References

  1. J. A. Leo Lemay, "Franklin, Benjamin (1706–1790)" in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed Oct 2, 2013.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Ibid.
  5. J. A. Leo Lemay, "Franklin, Benjamin" in American National Biography Online (Feb. 2000- ), accessed Oct. 2, 2013.
  6. J. Royle Ms Daybook, Williamsburg Printing Office, 1764.
  7. Mary R. M. Goodwin, The George Wythe House: Its Furniture and Furnishings (Williamsburg, Virginia: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Library, 1958), LI.
  8. Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433.
  9. Goodwin, The George Wythe House, LI.
  10. Memorandum from Barbara C. Dean, Colonial Williamsburg Found., to Mrs. Stiverson, Colonial Williamsburg Found. (June 16, 1975), 7 (on file at Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary).
  11. LibraryThing, s. v. "Member: George Wythe", accessed on June 28, 2013.
  12. The WorldCat record for Franklin’s Cool Thoughts contains the bibliographic note: "Attributed to Benjamin Franklin by Evans. First published as a supplement to the Pennsylvania journal, Apr. 26, 1764." In this note, "Evans" refers to the 14 volume opus, American Bibliography: A Chronological Dictionary of All Books, Pamphlets, and Periodical Publications Printed in the United States of America from the Genesis of Printing in 1639 Down to and Including the Year 1820.