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Rare Dublin edition of the American portion of the English Pilot, and one of the most important, since over half the maps are new. 

Nice example of Grierson's exceptionally rare sea atlas of the waters of North America and the Caribbean, published in Dublin.

Grierson's atlas is exceeding rare, with only one complete example recorded (Library of Congress), with this example having a different collation than the Library of Congress example, most notably the inclusion of a multi-sheet map of the Spanish Main not present in the Library of Congress copy.

The Fourth Book 'had the longest publication history ... the content of the volume was established between the editions of 1706 and 1721,' and it was 'sufficiently in demand to justify thirty-seven legitimate editions from 1689 to 1794' (Verner, Bibliographical Note to the Fourth Book). Originally composed by W. Fisher and J. Thornton, it may have been in preparation in the mid- to late-1670s.

George Grierson (1680-1753) published the first Dublin edition in 1749, with the plates engraved by James Barlow. Exceptionally rare, this Dublin edition is a major monument in Irish printing, being one of the first folio-format atlases printed in Ireland and part of an ambitious project launched by the leading Irish publisher.

The present edition is by George Grierson's son, Hugh Boulter Grierson (d.1771), who employed the same plates by Barlow, but with some significant re-engraving; in fact, it seems likely that over half the maps in the present lot are entirely new. Sabin finds the maps ‘have a clear, rough, old-fashioned appearance … and differ materially from the London editions of the work, containing generally more minute particulars’. Because the Griersons used the 1732 London edition of the English Pilot as a basis for their piracy, the present lot contains maps of Boston Harbor (see Burden II, 666, for 1689 and c.1691 eds only) not found in the London editions of 1758 and 1767. Some of other the maps of North America from this edition are not mentioned by Burden: see, for example, 'Harbor Grace' (II, 661); 'Bay Bulls' (II, 662), 'Cattalina Harbor' (II, 663), 'Port Bonavista' (II, 664) and 'A New Mapp of Carolina' (II, 668).

Maps

1. A New and Correct CHART Shewing the VARIATIONS of the COMPASs in the WESTERN & SOUTHERN OCEANS as Observed in ye Year 1700 by his Maies. Command by Edm Halley.
2. A CHART Shewing Part of the Sea Coast of NEW-FOUNDLAND From the Bay of Bulls to Little Placentia Exactly and Carefully lay'd down by JOHN GAUDY Anno 1715.
3. The Coast of NEW FOUND=LAND~ From Cape Raze to Cape St. Francis Sold by George Grierson at the Two Bibles in Essex Street Dublin
4. The Coast of NEW FOUND LAND From Salmon Cove to Cape Bonavista Sold by George Grierson Dublin
5. BAY BULLS RART OF NEWFOUND LAND
6. HARBOR GRACE. PART OF NEW-FOUND-LAND.
7. PORT-BONAVISTA PART OF NEW-FOUND-LAND
8. CATTALINA HARBOR PART OF NEW FOUND-LAND
9. Island of St. Peters
10. A Large Draught of NEW ENGLAND NEW YORK AND LONG ISLAND Sould By George Grierson at the two Bibles in Essex Street Dublin
11. A Draught of NEW YORK from the Hook to New York Town Printed for & Sold by Geo: Grierson at the two Bibles in Essex Street DUBLIN.
12. A New SUR UEY of the Harbour of BOSTON in NEWENGLAND Done by Order of the Principall Officers and Comissioners of his Ma ties. Navy and Sold by George Grierson at the two bibles in Essex Street Dublin
13. A Chart of the Sea Coast of NEW FOUND LAND NEW SCOTLAND NEW YORK NEW JERSEY with VIRGINIA and MARYLAND and New England SOld by George Grierson at the two Bibles in Essex Street Dublin
14. To the Right Honble. the Lords Commissionrs. for Trade and Plantations This PLATE is most humbly presented by your Lordships most Obedient and Devoted humble Servant [on sheet with:] A Map of the South Part of NOVA SCOTIA and it's Fishing Banks [with:] A Plan of HALIFAX Survey'd by M. Harris. [with:] A Viev of HALIFAX Drawn from ye Topmasthead
15. THE HARBOUR OF CASCO BAY AND ISLANDS Adjacent By Capt. CYPRIAN SOUTHICKE
16. VIRGINIA MARYLAND PENNSILVANIA East & West NEW JARSEY Dublin Sold by Geo. Grierson at the Two Bibles in Essex Street
17. A Draught of VIRGINIA from the Capes to YORK in YORK RIVER and to Kuiquotan or Hamton in JAMES RIVER. By Mark Tiddeman. Printed & Sold by Geo: Grierson at the Two BIbles in Essex Street Dublin.
18. A New Mapp of CAROLINA By John Thornton at ye Plattin ye Minories And by Will: Fisher at ye Postorn Gate on Towerhill London
19. A Chart of the CARIBE ILANDS Sold by George Grierson at the two Bibles in Essex Street Dublin.
20. BARBADOS Latt 13 North
21. A Large Draft of the Island Antegua Sold by George Grierson Dublin.
22. A Chart of the Iland of HISPANIOLA  With the Windward passage from Jamaica betwene ye East end of Cuba & the West end of Hispaniola Sold by George Grierson Dublin
23. The Island of Jamaica Sold by George Grierson at the two Bibles in Essex Street Dublin
24. A New Chart of the BAHAMA ISLANDS And the Windward Passage By Saml Thornton Hydrographer At the Signe of England Scotland and Ireland in the Minories
25. BERMUDAS
26. A Draught of the Coast of GUIANA From the River ORONOQUE To the RIver AMAZONES
27. A New and Correct Large Draught of the Tradeing Part of the WEST INDIES By Saml: Thornton Hydrogr: Dublin Sold by Geo Grierson at ye Two Bibles in Essex Street
28. A GENERALL CHART for the WEST INDIES According to MR: EDW: WRIGHTS PROJECTION Commonly called MERCATORS CHART

Rarity

Only 2 copies can be traced in institutions, at the British Library (lacking one chart), and Library of Congress (with several diffferent maps, most notably lacking map #27).