With the Map
The Pennsylvania Magazine: or, American Monthly Museum. For October, 1775.
Philadelphia: Printed by R. Aitken the Publisher Opposite the London Coffee-House, Front-Street, October 1775.
Price: $8,500.00
About the item
Engraved folding "A Map of the Present Seat of war on the Borders of Canada" at p.463. [443-447], 448-490pp. 8vo. Publisher's lettered blue paper wrappers, with ads. Provenance: John Fisher (signed twice on upper wrapper). Evans 14380; Mott, American Magazines, pp. 87-91. For the map: Jolly, Maps of America in Periodicals before 1800, 269; Phillips, List of Maps of America, p. 193 and 586; Wheat & Brun 89.
Item #378152
An important issue of this important American magazine, the only magazine issued in America during the Revolutionary crisis. This issue includes a fine engraved folding "Map of the Present Seat of War on the Border of Canada," which shows Lake Champlain, with Forts Ticonderoga, Caghniwaga and Frederick labeled. The map, illustrated with a Native American and frontiersman on the cartouche, provides many details of this strategically key waterway which linked Quebec to the interior of American colonies. In May 1775 a small American force under Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had captured the British forts Crown Point and Ticonderoga, from which were taken the cannon that ultimately enabled the Americans to drive the British from Boston. In the fall of that year, the Americans invaded Canada, utimately failing at the disastrous December 1775 Siege of Quebec. This map is the first map published in America to depict this region in detail, published in the midst of those operations.
The only magazine issued in the American colonies for most of the crucial year of 1775, the Pennsylvania Magazine is among the most important American Revolutionary-era publications for two primary reasons. First, it was edited from February 1775 until May 1776 (all but the first and the last two numbers) by the famous radical, Thomas Paine, and his regular occupation, at the time he wrote Common Sense, was as its editor. Secondly, it contains some of the most significant maps produced in America during the Revolution, including battle plans that became prototypes for oft-reproduced illustrations. Only a small handful of similar maps were produced in America during the Revolution. Ristow describes three of the maps and plans, calling them "the earliest revolutionary war maps printed in America."
The Pennsylvania Magazine... was conceived and founded by the Revolutionary printer, Robert Aitken, best known for his work as a printer for the Continental Congress. Aitken launched the periodical himself, but soon found it too much work and hired Paine as editor at £50 a year. Paine had only arrived in America a few months before, in December 1774. He quickly became the major contributor as well as editor, sometimes writing under the initials "A.B.," and sometimes with no by-line. "These initials he affixed to descriptions of mechanical devices, anecdotes, Addisonian essays, argumentative papers, and poems in some variety...the most imaginative and literary of the pieces have never been reprinted ... Published on the eve of the American Revolution, and edited by one of the leading Revolutionary publicists, The Pennsylvania Magazine is, of course, of paramount political interest...in December the magazine published 'Reflections on the Duty of Princes,' in which sovereigns are sharply warned against the exercise of arbitrary power. This is signed 'A.' and is followed by an oratorical passage 'On Liberty' signed 'Philo-Libertas.' Both are in the accents of Paine...." (Mott).
