William Blair Townsend letter and receipt books, 1743-1805, bulk 1744-1777

The collection consists of two volumes, which date from 1743 to 1805, spanning his whole career as a merchant. Volume one is a letter book containing Townsend's business correspondence from November 23, 1743 to December 12, 1774. Most of the letters were written to American (many in North Carolina) and British (predominately in London) merchants. His earliest letters document his efforts to establish himself as a trader. Over time his letters turn to illustrate the common problems faced by many merchants: damaged goods, overpriced goods, embargos, and high freight costs. Particularly enlightening are his comments on the challenges of doing business throughout the French and Indian War and the years leading up to the American Revolution. He most frequently corresponded with London merchants Champion & Hayley, Lane & Booth, Lane Son & Fraser, Harrison & Ansley, and Leeds merchant Samuel Elam. In addition he frequently corresponded with Eliakim Palmer, colonial agent and merchant in London, as well as Dr. Walley Chauncy of North Carolina. He dealt in a wide variety of goods including molasses, rum, tar, medicines, pitch, saddles, tallow, hides, skins, pickled beef and pork, and wine. The letters also document Townsend's involvement in the slave trade through his occasional purchases of slaves.

An account of the Preparation and Management necessary to inoculation /

Las [4] p. finales contienen: "Books, printed for Paul Vaillant ..."

A catalog of books relating to the history and topography of England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland /

"This publication is restricted to 25 copies. William Bulmer."

A battle of the books /

"Account of her business relations with her former publishers, Ticknor and Fields [under assumed names]" cf. Sabin.

Psalterium et cantica : some account of an illuminated psalter for the use of the convent of Saint Mary of the Virgins at Venice executed by a Venetian artist of the sixteenth century /

"One of fifty copies, privately printed."

Giuseppe Baretti : with an account of his literary friendships and feuds in Italy and in England in the days of Dr. Johnson /

Imperfect copy: frontispiece wanting.

A history of the Amistad captives: being a circumstantial account of the capture of the Spanish schooner Amistad, by the Africans on board; their voyage, and capture near Long Island, New York; with biographical sketches of each of the surviving Africans; also, an account of the trials had on their case, before the district and circuit courts of the United States, for the district of Connecticut.

fold. front. hand-colored.

A topographical and historical description of the county of York; containing an account of its towns, cathedral, castles, antiquities, churches, monuments, public edifices, picturesque scenery, the residences of the nobility, gentry, &c. accompanied with biographical notices of eminent and learned men to whom this county has given birth.

A separate issue, with new t.-p., of a part of v. 16 of The beauties of England and Wales.

The works of William Robertson, to which is prefixed an account of his life and writings,

"A catalogue of Spanish books and manuscripts" v. 8, p. [xxxi]-li.

An account of the indexes, both prohibitory and expurgatory, of the Church of Rome...

Errata slip inserted.

Bibliotheca Spenceriana : or A descriptive catalogue of the books printed in the fifteenth century, and of many valuable first editions, in the library of George John Spencer /

Includes index.

Horae biblicæ : being a connected series of notes on the text and literary history of the Bibles, or sacred books of the Jews and Christians; and on the Bibles or books accounted sacred by the Mahometans, Hindus, Parsees, Chinese, and Scandanavians.

"Some account of the principle authors, of whose labors the writer has availed himself in this compilation": v. 1, p. 102-108.

The chirurgical works of Percivall Pott, with his last corrections. : to which are added, a short account of the life of the author, a method of curing the hydrocele by injection, and occasional notes and observations /

Published in London in 1771 and 1808.