Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown / Edinburgh: Blackwood, 1851. Two volumes, 8vo, original brown ribbed cloth decorated in blind, spine gilt lettered. (2), xvi, 415, (3); (2), xii, 512, (2) pp. Folding frontispiece map in volume I. Spines very slightly sunned; 1853 ink name in each volume; small margin chips to some leaves (no text affected) from careless opening; some vertical creases to map from careless folding, partial split to one fold neatly repaired; a fine, partially unopened copy otherwise. Made from UK sheets. James Finlay Weir Johnston (1796-1855) was a reader in chemistry and mineralogy at the University of Durham in England who, between July and December, 1848, toured British North America and the eastern United States. He was asked by the government of New Brunswick t o prepare a report on the agricultural prospects of the province (REPORT ON THE AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES OF THE PROVINCE OF NEW BRUNSWICK, Fredericton, 1850), and more of the book is on New Brunswick than any other place. Also contains sections on Nova Scotia, Kingston, Montreal, Quebec, and the Gaspe in Canada. Also covers Western New York, Buffalo, Syracuse, Albany, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Boston, Providence, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Virginia, and more. A number of observation s on slavery. The book "is the product of a trained eye and knowledge of the subject and is surprisingly detailed for the time he spent in the colonies. Johnston's common-sense approach to human relations is best reflected in his remarks on the fool ishness of those who attempt to maintain social distinctions." - Norah Story, Oxford Companion to Canadian History and Literature. TPL 8134. Howes J-165. Sabin 36369.