(Manuscripts : American : Science and Mathematics). Ciphering Book of a Colonial Schoolboy. Evans, Cadwallader (sic). N.P. (Philadelphia, PA): 6 April – 26 July, 1763.
1 vol in folio, [37] leaves. Replete with numerous exercises in geometry and trigonometry (leaves 1-6); land surveying (leaves 7-19); and plain, traverse, oblique, Mercator sailing (leaves 20-37). Abundant with many rather sophisticated and detailed drawings in ink and watercolor, including caricatures, peacocks and various other fowls, and mariners’ compasses; also includes one fold-map in ink and watercolor depicting an imagined topography. Original red buckram over boards; bumped and scuffed, with author’s initials “C.E.” roughly but endearingly inscribed in black ink on front cover. Text in brown and black ink. Attractively toned throughout, with some original ink bleed-through; text block shaken, final three leaves loose with some chipping and minor loss of text. Inscribed by the (presumed) teenaged author on front paste-down.
Provenance: by descent of the family.