WENTWORTH, William Charles

A Statistical Historical & Political Description of The Colony of New South Wales...

> click here to see the full size image.

G. and W.B. Whittaker London, 1819. Octavo, presentation inscriptions on flyleaf and title; an excellent, neat copy in contemporary half black roan. First edition of the first original work published by an Australian-born author. This copy has the three printing errors noted by Wantrup in their uncorrected state.

Written to encourage emigration to Australia, the book also demanded free institutions in the colony. "It is the beginning of the whole genre of books written to urge intending migrants to choose Australia over the alternatives, which were mostly cheaper to get to, and which include some of the first manifestoes of Australian patriotism ..." (People, Print and Paper).

Wentworth's famous first book gives a deal of information about New South Wales for intending migrants as well as expressing some of his own ideas on the future development of the colony. His belief in an Australian landed gentry, which he expounds here, stayed with him all his life. His book also has some exploration interest: He was one of the trio who led the way across the Blue Mountains and this book also gives his earliest comments on the land discovered as well as the reports of those officials who opened the land up to settlement.

Wentworth was born in 1790 and spent his childhood on Norfolk Island and in Sydney, before travelling to England to complete his education. He returned to Sydney in 1810, meaning that the reign of Governor Bligh is an important but distant memory in Wentworth's book, which deals in detail with the rule of Governor Macquarie: indeed, this book is of particular note for Wentworth's unusual pro-Macquarie stance, as his family had benefitted from Macquarie's rule.

The flyleaf inscription on this copy reads 'Presented by Edwd. Cooke Bill Master of the Barque Nelson - Bay of Islds 1832.' This is an appealing addition to an Australian book, as the whaling ship Nelson is known to have sailed extensively in Australasian waters at this time.
Ferguson, 771; Spence, 'Bligh', p. 26; Wantrup, 53.

• AUD 2,350.00 > other currencies
• ordernr.: 702_763

• bookseller: Hordern House (AUSTRALIA)