(B. B. Hopkins & Co.'s premium edition of) The complete navigator: or, An easy and familiar guide to the theory and practice of navigation. With all the requisite tables, &c., &c. Illustrated with engravings
Philadelphia: published by B. B. Hopkins and Co. and sold by W. P. Farrand, no. 170, Market-Street. Printed by T. & G. Palmer, Market-Street, 1807. 8vo, pp. xxiii, [1], 275, [1], 40 (explanation of the tables), 16, 15*-16*, 17-220 (tables), [4] advertisement and directions to the binder; 7 engraved plates; tables in the text; contemporary full calf, red morocco label on spine; rubbed, worn, stained, front joint starting, rear joint partially broken, half-title loose, but present, free endpapers wanting; a fair to good copy. With the bookplate of Joseph Cassin, Jr., U.S.N. and a subsequent inscription in ink on the half-title: Joseph Cassin Esq. / my friend and shipmate." Cassin (1794-1826) was "appointed Midshipman on January 16, 1809, and was promoted to Lieutenant on July 24, 1813. He died November 30, 1826 while on board the United States Schooner, Grampus [almost certainly of yellow fever] on her voyage from Pensacola to Havana. At 4:00 PM on the afternoon of November 30, his remains were committed to the deep with military honors (findagravedotcom). The numerous pencil calculations on the endpapers and elsewhere are presumably by him. In a letter to Captain M.T. Woolsey Commanding U.S. Frigate Constellation and Senior Officer in the West Indies, W.K. Latimer writes: "The painful duty devolved on me of announcing to you the death of Lieutenant Joseph Cassin, who died on board this vessel at Sea on the morning of the 30th Nov. The body was interred with military honours at 4 a clock on the same morning – For some hours previous to his death he was unable to articulate, and made no arrangement for the disposition of articles he left on board and I will thank you to inform me what manner I shall dispose of them." Given the inscription from "my friend and shipmate," this copy of Mackay may likely have been among his possessions. First published in London in 1804, this is the first American edition. American Imprints 12965. Item #58263
Price: $250.00
