An Astronomical Diary or Almanack, For The Year of Christian Era, 1777
Low, Nathaniel. AN ASTRONOMICAL DIARY OR ALMANACK, FOR THE YEAR OF CHRISTIAN ERA, 1777. BEING THE FIRFT YEAR AFTER BISSEXTILE OR LEAP-YEAR AND THE FIRFT YEAR OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE WHICH BEGAN JULY FOURTH, 1776. CONTAINING EVERY THING NECEFFARY FOR AN ALMANACK…. Printed by J. Gill, in Queen-Street, and T. and J. Fleet, in Cornhill. Two woodcuts with one being on the title and the second being a woodcut map of New York titled A VIEW OF THE PREFENT SEAT OF WAR, AT AND NEAR NEW-YORK. “The campaign was very much in progress at the time, though going badly for the Continental Army, and it would end disastrously on November 16 when the British captured Fort Washington on the northwest corner of Manhattan Island. Nonetheless the map focuses almost exclusively on the fortifications of the Continental Army, with the British fleet shown in places but never actually identified. Thus, viewers could have been excused coming away believing that General Washington was still in control of the situation.” (Buehler)
Also of importance is a two page AN ADDRESS TO THE TORIES containing numerous thoughts including “This being the cafe, I expect nothing that I can fay, will in the least alter the corrupt bias of your minds, you are too far advanced in your wicked apoftacy to afford the leaft ray of hope that you ever will be recovered. This, I think is abundantly evident, as the State of your minds remains unchanged, when you fee and hear of the inhuman cruelties, and favage barbarities that have been practifed upon thofe of your unfortunate fellow country-men who have fallen into the hands of our unnatural enemies. Witnefs alfo that horrid plot of yours, fo providentially difcovered, and in which you were detected at New York; and the latent fehemes and fecret confpiracies which you are daily concerting and endeavoring to execute, though hitherto your moft notable attempts have been defeated. Are you not continually endeavoring to interrupt the harmony which fo happily fulfills in thefe united States? Do you not endeavor to difcourage the hearts and weaken the hands of the people? By keeping up a treafonable correfpondence with, and conveying intelligence fecretly to the enemies of the common wealth….” Written by the author on October 3, 1776.
The almanac also includes THE NEGLECTED MAID’S LAMENTATION – A TALE; RULES AND REFLEXIONS FOR THE CONDUCT OF LIFE; HOW TO GET RICHES and THE ROADS TO THE PRINCIPAL TOWNS ON THE CONTINENT, & FROM BOSTON WITH THE NAMES OF THEFS WHO KEEP HOUFS OF ENTERTAINMENT.
The map is similar to the map set in the title-page of Nathan Daboll’s FREEBETTERS NEW-ENGLAND ALMANACK FOR 1777 (Wheat & Brun, 385). The almanac map being offered has nine ships depicted in the narrows between “STATEN I.” and “LONG I”, while Daboll’s version has eight; and the text on this map appears to be letterpress, while that on Daboll’s seems to be woodcut.
Overall a wonderful sewn almanac with minor toning and foxing, bookkeeping figures throughout, minor chipping to title page not affecting print and overall a vg copy of a scarce patriotic almanac issued in Boston in the fall of 1776.
