“AGES TO COME WILL DECLARE THAT THERE LIVED A RACE OF MEN BEYOND THE ATLANTIC THAT MADE A NOBLE STRUGGLE TO BE FREE”: MURRAY’S IMPARTIAL HISTORY, WITH 23 COPPER-ENGRAVED PORTRAITS AND ENGRAVED FOLDING MAP OF THE BRITISH ATTACK ON BUNKER’S HILL

(REVOLUTION) MURRAY, James. An Impartial History of the War in America. Newcastle upon Tyne: T. Robson, [1782]. Two volumes. Octavo, late 19th-century crushed red morocco, raised bands, marbled boards, top edges gilt.

1782 edition of this powerful contemporary history of the American Revolution by leading pro-American British clergyman Murray—“much sought on account of its portraits” (Sabin 51507)—containing 23 engraved portraits of Washington, Franklin and others, along with folding Plan of the Town of Boston with the Attack on Bunkers-Hill, handsomely bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe.

In the Declaration of Independence there is an often overlooked passage, “in which the signers assert that the colonists ‘had not been wanting in our attention to our British brethren,’ but that in response, their fellow subjects in the Mother Country ‘have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity.” To many “this blanket censure of all Britons was, however, an unfair generalization. Scholars have long shown that there were in fact many individuals in the British Isles who, before and during the years of armed conflict in America, had displayed their sympathies for the Americans and their opposition to alleged attempts to repress them” (Cohen, British Supporters, ix). One of the most eloquent of these pro-American British voices was clergyman James Murray of Newcastle-on-Tyne. His two-volume Impartial History “insisted that the Americans had been cruelly persecuted, that the war against the colonists should never have been started, and that it was unlikely ever to be brought to a successful conclusion” (Dickinson, Political Works of Thomas Spence). Much “sought on account of its portraits” (Sabin 51507), this scarce work contains 23 full-page copper-engraved portraits, including those of Washington, Franklin and Hancock, together with the folding Plan of Boston with the Attack on Bunkers-Hill. First published in 1778, “this famous work on the American War ran through many editions” (Stevens 126). Copies of the Newcastle imprint exist with the address to the King dated 1779, 1780, 1781, 1782 and 1784; the present edition has the address dated “Jan. 25, 1782” (Vol. I). A third volume, left unfinished by the author and published posthumously, is “of extreme scarcity” and not present, as usual (Sabin 51507).Occasional mispagination without loss of text. Howes M916. Adams 78-73c, 78-73e. Library bookplates.

Text and plates fresh with only minor expert restoration to edges of three leaves, linen-backed folding map. An extremely good copy, handsomely bound.