The History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies. By Bryan Edwards, Esq. F. R. S. S. A., In Three Volumes. Third Edition, with Considerable Additions. Illustrated with Plates. Vol. I: xxiii, 576 pp, 16 plates; Vol. II: viii, 617 pp, 3 plates; Vol. III: xxxii, 477 pp, 3 plates. All plates and maps present and intact. London: Printed for John Stockdale, Piccadilly. 1801. Contemporarily bound in half-calf and marbled binding, untrimmed with deckled edges, signed by binder R. Carlton Seitz. Previous female ownership. 9.25 x 5.75", 8vos. In fair condition. Modern binding exhibits normal shelf-wear, i.e. rubbed edges and bumped corners. Front boards are all bowed. Heads and tails of spines scuffed. Gilt lettering on spines bright and clean. Binder's bookplate found on all front paste-downs: R.C. Seitz, 1983. Binder's ink stamp also found on fresh front end-pages (verso, bottom corner). Front gutter of Vol. III split at title page, exposed binding mesh. Vol. II exhibit tea or water staining to bottom corners of pages 169 to 200, approximately (this also effects one fold-out plate, see Photo #14). Bottom corner of page 186 of Vol. II repaired with fresh paper. Ink staining found on top and bottom corners of Vol. II pages 349 to 481, text remains legible. Small fold-outs intact. Large fold-out map of St. Domingo exhibits tears at creases in center of map - very fragile but remains intact. Modern bindings tight and intact. Please see photos and ask questions, if any, before purchasing. Bryan Edwards (1743-1800) was an English politician and historian born in Westbury, Wiltshire. He was the eldest son of Bryan Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth Bayly, sister of Zachary Bayly, a slave-owner in Jamaica. After his father's death, Bryan's maintenance and education were undertaken by Zachary Bayly. Around 1759, Edwards joined Zachary in Jamaica; when Zachary died, Bryan inherited his wealth, including six Jamaican plantations. Edwards became a leading member of the colonial assembly of Jamaica, but in a few years returned to England. In 1782, he tried and failed to secure a seat in Parliament as a member for Chichester. He was in Jamaica again from 1787 to 1792. He then settled in England as a West India merchant. In 1784, Edwards wrote Thoughts on the late Proceedings of Government respecting the Trade of the West India Islands with the United States of America, in which he attacked the restrictions placed by the government upon trade with the United States. In 1793, he published, in two volumes, History, Civil and Commercial, of the British Colonies in the West Indies, and in 1797, published his Historical Survey of the French Colony in the Island of St. Domingo. The latter two titles were later republished, with additional material, as the History of the British Colonies in the West Indies in three volumes. Conservative estimates place the number of people Edwards enslaved at 1,500. Edwards was opposed to abolition, but was open to the improvement of the conditions for enslaved peoples in the region. In 1791, he joined a British relief expedition to the French colony of St. Domingo (now Haiti). One of the wealthiest colonies in the Caribbean, those enslaved by French settlers rose up in rebellion following the French Revolution in 1789. The revolt, known as the Haitian Revolution, would eventually be successful and in 1804, the colony would achieve independence. Edwards main purpose was to gain information about the causes and consequences of the Haitian Revolution. Edwards makes claims that 30,000 people died during the rebellion, and he blames this on the treatment of enslaved people by the French settlers on the island. French colonial officials condemned Edward's account. This work was signed by Mary Curteis in 1804. Perhaps after she heard of the Haitian Revolution, she was eager to learn more & decided to buy Edward's works. Interesting topic for a woman to be allowed to immerse herself in, in 1804. Gift qua
