Books and Manuscripts

New York: Printed by Order of the Corporation of New York by W.A. Davis, 1825(-26). First edition. 4to. v, (vi), 408, (2) pp. Presentation copy, from the City of New York to politician, American Revolutionary war soldier, and philanthropist, Henry Rutgers (1745-1830). Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece portrait of Colden by A.B. Durand after Waldo & Jewett, 44 engraved and lithographed plates (including six folding plates and two large folding views), two large folding hand-colored maps of the United States and New York, and eight facsimile letters by John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, John Quincy Adams, James Madison, James Monroe, the Marquis de Lafayette, and Richard Riker. Original full brown calf presentation binding, elaborately stamped in blind and in gilt, lettered in gilt on front board: "Presented by the City of New York to Henry Rutgers Esq. As a Tribute of Respect to His Public & Private Virtues", blind stamp of the Seal of New York at center of front and rear boards, front and rear boards detached, extremities rubbed, spine rubbed and dry; matching marbled edges and endpapers; scattered soiling to text; scattered short closed tears to some text and plate edges and folds; offsetting from plates onto text; ownership stamp of W.B. Crosby Esq., Executor of Henry Rutgers's estate and the heir and successor to his homestead, Rutgers Place, at head of title-page. Sabin 14279; Howes C 562

New York City politician, wealthy landowner, and philanthropist Henry Rutgers's personal copy of Colden's memoir, published to celebrate the opening of the Erie Canal. Rutgers served in the New York State Assembly from 1783-84, the New York Board of Education Regents from 1802-26, and was a Presidential elector in 1808, 1816, and 1820. Rutgers owned considerable property in Manhattan, and donated numerous parcels of land for the use of schools, churches, and charities. He is remembered for his donation of a $5,000 bond to then Queen's College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, which saved the school from permanently closing. In gratitude, the trustees of the college renamed the institution in his honor, and it is now known as Rutgers University. He served, alongside Colden, on the board of the Bank for Savings in the City of New York, one of the earliest banks in the United States and the country's first savings bank.

The present work when published was gifted to dignitaries in New York, and records the history of the Canal's construction, as well as the ceremonies to commemorate its opening. It is notable for being one of the first volumes published in the United States to be illustrated with lithography.