Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, in the United States.
[Royall, Anne Newport]. Sketches of History, Life, and Manners, in the United States. By a traveller. New Haven: Printed for the author, 1826.
8vo.; engraved frontispiece; occasional foxing; later three-quarter calf, marbled boards; wear to extremities.
First edition of the first of ten travelogues by “this nation’s most eminent literary virago and most uncommon scold” (Howes R485). Clark III:98.
Maryland-born Anne Newport (1769-1854) embarked on her career of travel writing as a means of self-support when, ten years after her husband’s death, she found herself penniless at the age of 54. At a young age she had worked as a menial for William Royall, “scholar, gentleman farmer, Revolutionary veteran, and ardent Mason,” who undertook her education and eventually married her. Though he left her well provided for, his other heirs succeeded in breaking the will. Unable to secure the government pension due her as the widow of a Revolutionary War veteran, even with the support of John Quincy Adams, in 1824 Mrs. Royall began her literary travels across the South and eastern parts of the United States. Between 1826 and 1831 she produced ten volumes recounting her wanderings, along with a single novel and a play. Later, in Washington, she edited two muckraking newspapers: Paul Pry (12/3/31-11/19/36) and The Huntress (12/2/36-7/24/54). DAB notes that “she was a vigorous editor, noted for her ability to uncover graft in any department of government…She attained a kind of unenviable fame throughout the country, many enemies, a few stanch friends…” Despite much public attention, Mrs. Royall never turned a significant profit with any of her publications and “in her last years was often miserably poor.” She finally received her pension in 1848—too little too late.
All of Mrs. Royall’s books are scarce and, due to their modest production, they are rarely found in original condition.
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