THE VOYAGES OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS BEING THE JOURNALS OF HIS FIRST AND THIRD, AND THE LETTERS CONCERNING HIS FIRST AND LAST VOYAGES, TO WHICH IS ADDED THE ACCOUNT OF HIS SECOND VOYAGE WRITTEN BY ANDRES BERNALDEZ. Now newly Translated and Edited, with an Introduction and Notes by Cecil Jane.
(London: The Argonaut Press, 1930).
FIRST OF THE EDITION. A BEAUTIFUL PRINTING OF THIS HIGHLY IMPORTANT TEXT. Includes Columbus' journals from all four voyages as well as a section on the second voyage from Andrés Bernáldez. An important primary source for any study of Columbus.
Cecil Jane notes that such a mythology has arisen around the figure of Columbus that “the process of distortion has so advanced that the real Columbus is more hidden from view than he was in the period...” Because so little is known about the discoverer, he retains a shroud of mystery and he played a part in this obfuscation through silence regarding his personal life and origins. Jane has done painstaking research to piece together Columbus’ words and actions.
Of Columbus he writes, “it must be remembered that with all his faults, with all his errors, with all his shortcomings, he yet gave to Castile the greatest gift that she ever received, and that he laid the foundation of the most remarkable and the most enduring colonial dominion that the world has ever seen. Nor did he give to Castile or to Spain alone; all Europe is his debtor, all Europe and all the world beside. He bore across the Atlantic the language, the faith and the civilisation of the country of his adoption; he thereby rendered possible the creation of a spiritual empire which still endures. Of that spiritual empire, the members are those nations which to-day play so great a part in the world, which in the future must inevitably play a part even greater, and upon which, indeed, to no small extent, the destiny of mankind depends.”. Item #70025
Limited edition, one of 1050 numbered copies, printed on fine Japanese Vellum. Illustrated with five maps and an original woodcut by William Monk on title page. Quarto, publisher’s original grey cloth backed in white vellum gilt lettered, with a pictorial coat-of-arms design on the top right quadrant of the upper cover in 5 colours and gilt, edges uncut. (6), 347 pp., limitation leaf. A very handsome and fine unopened copy, especially well preserved and as pristine.