A Picture of Washington: Giving a description of all the public buildings, grounds, &c
- Washington, DC: William M. Morrison, 1840
Washington, DC: William M. Morrison, 1840. Very Good. Washington, DC: William M. Morrison, 1840. First Edition. 18mo (14cm.); publisher's black gilt straight-grained morocco; [2],138pp.; two (of four?) folding maps present, as is very often the case. Moderate wear to margins, losses at spine ends discreetly repaired, pastedowns significantly foxed, textblock a bit toned, closed tear to one folding plate, else Very Good overall.
Early guide to Washington by a man of prolific interests and careers: as well as authoring novels, plays, and a travelogue of a trip to the West Indies, Watterston also dabbled in the law and served as the first Librarian of Congress, producing the manuscript of the contents of Jefferson's library that was sent to Congress--the American National Biography notes that he believed the collection to have been his personal property, which sounds preposterous enough to be plausible.
In any case, Watterston was fired from his position at the Library by Andrew Jackson, after which he turned to writing and updating guide books and other literary ephemera. In 1833 he founded the Washington Memorial Monument Society--by the time of his death twenty years later the Monument was up to 150 feet.
NB: This copy bound with only the floor plans of the Senate and the House of Congress, lacking the map of the city called for on the title page. Sabin and Howes also call for a fourth plate.
Howes W176; Sabin 102166.
Early guide to Washington by a man of prolific interests and careers: as well as authoring novels, plays, and a travelogue of a trip to the West Indies, Watterston also dabbled in the law and served as the first Librarian of Congress, producing the manuscript of the contents of Jefferson's library that was sent to Congress--the American National Biography notes that he believed the collection to have been his personal property, which sounds preposterous enough to be plausible.
In any case, Watterston was fired from his position at the Library by Andrew Jackson, after which he turned to writing and updating guide books and other literary ephemera. In 1833 he founded the Washington Memorial Monument Society--by the time of his death twenty years later the Monument was up to 150 feet.
NB: This copy bound with only the floor plans of the Senate and the House of Congress, lacking the map of the city called for on the title page. Sabin and Howes also call for a fourth plate.
Howes W176; Sabin 102166.