Travels Through Part of the United States and Canada in 1818 and 1819

 John Morison DUNCAN (d. 1825, author and printer).

Travels Through Part of the United States and Canada in 1818 and 1819. Glasgow: printed at the University Press [by Andrew and John Morison Duncan],

1823. 2 volumes, octavo (7 ¼ x 4 ½ inches; 184 x 115mm). Pp. [iii-]xvi,[1-]333[-334]; [iii-]xii, [1-]384. 14 maps and plans.

Contemporary half-calf over marbled paper-covered boards, spines tooled in gilt and blind.

Faults: contents generally excellent, but lacks half titles, some surface damage to pp. xiv and xv in vol.I, pp.129/130 in vol.II with paperfault hole to upper blank margin; bindings rubbed and scuffed, joints split, with the spines dry and chipped (but still quite attractive! see images).

First edition of this informed and interesting travel journal.

With commentary that covers a wide range of subjects: the rebuilding of Washington, DC, after the War if 1812; the Hudson, New York, Baltimore, Boston and an eye-witness account of an annual celebration of free blacks, consisting of a parade and special dinner (slavery: "the bane of American prosperity."). Once in Canada, the author pays  more attention to the Indian population than he did in the States. He includes his thoughts on the moral responsibility of the white man to the Native American. Also included are descriptions of the most famous universities of the day: Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and the University of Virginia ("From first appearances, there seems reason to anticipate that this proposed University will be a total failure.")

The useful and accurate wood-engraved and letterpress maps and plans are  as follows: in vol.I, p.20 (New York city), 44 (Boston), 92 (Newhaven), 168 (Princeton), 184 (Philadelphia), 218 (Baltimore ), 250  (Washington, D.C.), 302 (Albany); in  vol.II, p.30 (Niagara and environs), 36 (map of Niagara Falls), 110 (‘York’, Ontario), 112 (‘Kingston’, Ontario), 148 (Montreal), 174 (Quebec).

Sabin 21259; Howes D561, "aa."

Unusually, Duncan is both the author and the printer of this work. “Following the death of James Scrymgeour, there was another interval before Andrew Duncan assumed the role of [Glasgow] University printer in 1811. By this time, there was no room for a press within College and Duncan was promised £20 annually out of University funds for a printing house. Duncan came from a family of booksellers and stationers. He himself worked as a bookseller and it is said that he was inspired to become a printer in order to produce the books that he knew there was a market for, but which were not available for sale. His work was excellent, gaining him a good standing with publishers in London. He printed for many years - latterly with his son [John Morison Duncan] - and was so prosperous that he erected new printing works (Villafield) in the city in 1818. Amongst other innovations, he introduced the Columbian Press and stereotyping to Glasgow. Unfortunately, he later ran into financial difficulties when the London firm of Hurst, Robinson & Company (for whom he undertook a large amount of work) failed.” (http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/gupress/gupress19century.html).