“STIRRING EVENTS AND THRILLING SCENES”: PRESCOTT’S DRAMATIC HISTORIES OF SPAIN'S CONQUESTS IN MEXICO AND PERU, WITH AN AUTOGRAPH NOTE SIGNED BY PRESCOTT LAID IN

PRESCOTT, William H. The History of the Conquest of Mexico. Three volumes. WITH: The History of the Conquest of Peru. Two volumes. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1843; 1847. Together, five volumes. Large octavo, original brown cloth.

First editions of William Prescott’s classic histories of Spain’s conquest of the New World, with steel-engraved frontispiece portraits in each volume, two engraved folding maps of Mexico and an engraved map of Peru, very nice copies in the original cloth, with the gilt arms of Cortés stamped on the spines of the Mexico volumes and the gilt arms of Pizarro on the spines of the Peru volumes. With a two-page autograph note signed by Prescott laid in.

"History for Prescott was primarily a form of polite literature, written quite as much for the entertainment as for the instruction of his readers; it was, therefore, in the recounting of stirring events and thrilling scenes that he took pleasure and excelled." His works today remain standard authorities and reflect "the scrupulous care and integrity with which he used his materials, and the pains he took to find the exact truth" (DAB). "As a writer, Mr. Prescott occupies a distinguished place in the first rank of English historians. His fidelity and industry—qualities which form the foundation of historical merit—are universally acknowledged" (Allibone, 1674). Sabin 65262. BAL 16340. Grolier American 100: 51. Laid into this copy is an autograph letter signed by Prescott. It reads in full: "Thank you, dear Mr. Fields, for allowing me to see Willis's note to you. I have read it with much pleasure, and it flatters me much to think that he attaches any value to an acquaintance with me. Very sincerely yours Wm. H. Prescott." Prescott has written a note below his signature: "A genuine autograph from the pen of —- —— - signature and all. New York Nov 16." A later note in pencil points to this with the explanation "This refers to an autog. Prescott was sending to some one." "Mr. Fields" is probably Boston publisher and bookseller James T. Fields, who, as half of the firm Ticknor and Fields, published many of the greatest writers of 19th-century America, including Emerson, Hawthorne, Holmes, Thoreau, Lowell, Stowe and Whittier. "Willis" is possibly the prolific author N.P. Willis; Fields was one of the pallbearers at Willis' funeral in 1860. Contemporary ink gift inscription in Volume I of Mexico.

Interiors quite clean, original cloth with minor rubbing to corners and spine heads, generally fresh with bright gilt on the spines. A near-fine set of first editions.