Sketches of America. Narrative of a Journey of Five Thousand Miles through the Eastern and Western States of America

8vo contemporary ½ calf with marbled boards, 454 pp. Some minor wear to binding, a couple of chips and niches to covers. Hinges show slight cracking, but very limited and still sound. Bookplate to front pastedown, and some very minor aging. Very good overall. Fearon came to America on sort of a fact-finding tour to inspect agricultural possibilities for people interested in coming to America. The information he provides on all sorts of economic issues is impressive. Since farming was a keen interest to him and the people he represented, he gives a lot of information on the differences in agricultural land prices of various places. While Fearon does mention some good things about America, much of his commentary is negative. Fearon had a strongly negative reaction to slavery, and talks about it in much detail. He even argues that in the so-called free states, freedom is a myth for Blacks. “Although New York is a free state, it is such only on parchment: Black Americans are in practically and politically slaves.” Fearon’s characterizations of Americans are also interesting. On Kentuckians, he writes, “they drink a great deal, swear a great deal and gamble a great deal.” He viewed New Yorkers as careless, lazy, and indifferent. Howes F65