First edition. John Russell Bartlett, a major American bibliographer and artist of the Southwest, had a remarkably multi-faceted career. He was for a time a bookseller, Chief of the United States Boundary Commission that established the border with Mexico following the Mexican-American War, Secretary of State of Rhode Island for 17 years, and, for many years, John Carter Browns personal librarian. Bartletts Dictionary of Americanisms saw three editions in the nineteenth century, and was again reprinted in 2000. His Personal Narrative about his years on the Boundary commission is a classic document of Western Americana.
Jerry Mueller has annotated and amplified Bartletts original memoir, adding 30 illustrations. Printed at Stamperia Valdonega, Arbizzano di Verona, Italy, and bound by Legatoria Zanardi Gropu, Padova, Italy. Designed and composed by Mark Argetsinger, Rochester, New York. Distributed for the John Carter Brown Library.