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STEDMAN, John Gabriel

"Narrative of a Five Years Expedition against the Revolted Negroes of Surinam, in Guiana, on the wild cost of South America; from the year 1772, to 1777."

London
printed for J. Johnson
1806

€8.000 - €10.000

"2 parts in 1 vol. in-4to, xviii + 423 + [1 bl.] + [4] pp ; [1] + [ bl.] + iv + 419 + [5] pp. Ill. with a frontispiece and 80 engraved plates (of which 3 maps), by WILLIAM BLAKE, Bartolozzi and others after Stedman, numbered 1-80 beautifully hand coloured. Complete. Tear without loss repaired in pl. 80, a few stains, but in all a very attractive copy. Second edition. Heavy vellum binding, top edge gilt, morocco title piece on spine, first hinge weak"

"Important eye-witness account, accusing slavery in Suriname and Guyana in an unadorned manner. Stedman was a Dutch soldier deployed to put down an uprising of enslaved people on the island of Suriname. His illustrated text became an important document in the abolitionist movement. ""His description of the cruelties practiced on the Negroes, and of the moral deterioration resulting to their masters, forms one of the most vivid indictments of slavery that have been penned. Not the least curious thing in the book is the story of his relations with Joanna, a beautiful mulatto, who nursed him when sick, and bore him a son."" Ref. Abbey, Travel 719. - Sabin 91075. - Bentley, Blake Books 499 B"

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