The United States and Canada, in 1832, 1833, and 1834. in Two Volumes.
London: Richard Bentley, 1834. First Edition. Half-Leather. Very Good / No Jacket. Item #2290421
First edition. Howes A-304, Sabin 1943. Rebound in half leather with new end sheets. Spines a bit faded, front and end matter foxed (including frontispieces), a few other pages lightly foxed.
vii, [1], 433, [1]; vii, [1], 418, [2] pp. 8vo. Engraved frontispieces of the source of the Hudson River and the first Dutch governor's house in Albany, New York. A fairly early travelogue of a journey around the United States and Canada by a Swedish writer, published shortly before he assumed the post of American consul in Stockholm. There is some speculation that Arfwedson's father encouraged this trip after the publication of two works that were obviously critical of contemporaries (Three Infamous Girls' Journey to Immortality and Students in Utscheu or Zierbenglarne's History in China). "Carl David Arfwedson... abandoned his studies for the merchant career, and undertook a long journey to America and several European countries... After his return from Uppsala, he appeared in 1828 as a writer in a way that was considered scandalous by his contemporaries, partly with a farce, 'Three notorious girls' journey to immortality,' partly with an Uppsala depiction, 'Students in Utscheu or the history of the Zierbenglars in China.' Both of these writings may now appear to be quite innocent, but the people appearing in them were too easily recognizable and in a way that was not flattering to them... Of the first, only one copy has been preserved (in the KB), and it is said to have also given the father, who arranged for the edition to be withdrawn, a reason to send [Arfwedson] on his American trip. Later, he published the even more infamous 'Spionen i den nomal werlden i Stockholm,' which provide unvarnished insights into the life of the capital's society at the time. In particular, the well-known wholesaler JG Schwan was badly treated there, an insult he could never forget. From his travels, A., who was a watchful observer and kept an idle pen, published journalistic descriptions. He also wrote a couple of historical novels that received quite a lot of attention in their time." - Ivar Simonsson, Swedish Biographical Lexicon
Price: $600.00 save 30% $420.00