A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
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Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to Ralph Smith, February 14,1721
Robert Carter writes to London bookseller, Ralph Smith, February14, 1721, to order several newspapers in addition to that he alreadyreceives, and to order a number of books.
Letter from Robert Carter to RalphSmith,
February 14, 1721
-1
-
Rappahannock, [LancasterCounty, Virginia]
Febr. 14. 1720/21
Mr. Ralph Smith
Sir
In the News packets I have had from
You for some time, Youhave only Sent me the Mercurys, You
Send to Collo. Page
the Evening Post and theQuarterly Register
published at the charge of the Fire Office, These two Paprs I
Desire You will let me have forthe future, and what
Ingenious pamphlets You think worthreading, I am told
Queen Anns Reign
isin Print if it be pray let me have It
Doctr. Scotts works
they Say are printedall together in a
large Volume, which I would also have, and Doctor Wellwoods
Memoirs
[sic
]
or Secret History, These
Iwould likewise have
Bohuns Precedents
of Proceedings in Parliament if I
have not forgotten the Name andTitle of the Book, these
Books Mr. Perry
will take care to pay You for and Convey
to me I remain
Sir
Your humble Servant
NOTES
Source copyconsulted:
Robert Carter Letter Book, 1720 July-1721 July,BR 227, Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens,San Marino, California. Printed: Wright. Letters of Robert Carter. . . .
p.78.
Robert Carter generally used a return address of"Rappahannock" for the river on which he lived rather than"Corotoman," the name of his home, on his correspondence, especiallyto merchants abroad. The county and colony have been added forclarity.
[1] Louis Wright identifies Smith as a "bookseller" ofLondon (Wright, Letters.
p. 78, fn 74). In theinventory
of Carter's possessions, taken after his death, are listedthe several hundred books found in his house. Wright identified asmany of the titles as he could and published the results of hisresearch in an article in the first issue of The HuntingtonLibrary Quarterly
in 1937. The books ordered in this letterhave been identified from Wright's article, and references are givenbelow to the page where the books appear in the article. There arealso references to the footnotes in his inentory where the titles arefurther identified. (Wright. "The Literary Interests of the First Carters."
)
[2] The History of the Life and Reign of QueenAnne
[1714?]. This may be the title in fn. 2.19 in Carter'sinventory.
Wright article, p. 53.
[3] John Scott, The Christian Life, from ItsBeginning to Its Consumation in Glory.
(5 vols., 1712). Hisinventory (see fns 7.26 and 7.27) shows that Carter had severalvolumes of a 1712 multi-volume edition; the single volume edition of "Dr. Scotts works" thathe ordered in this letter may not have been available. Wrightarticle, p. 57.
[4] James Wellwood, Memoirs of the MostMaterial Transactions in England for the Last Hundred Years.
(2d ed., 1700). Wright article, p. 55. This title does not appearin Carter's inventory.
[5]William Bohun, A Collection of Debates,Reports, Orders, and Resolutions of the House of Commons.
(1702). See footnote 12.20 in Carter's inentory.
Wright article, p.45.
This text revised March 11,2009.