Three Years in Canada: An Account of theActual State of the Country in 1826-7-8. Comprehending its Resources,Productions, Improvements, and Capabilities; and including Sketches ofthe State of Society, advice to emigrants, &c.
London. Henry Colburn.1829. 1st Edition. Hardcover. thick12mo, 19cm, the first edition, two volumes in One, xi,347 &vii,[1],340pp., ad., in contemporary style half dark brown calf, giltruled raised bands, crushed crimson morocco label, gilt titles, giltdecorations in the panels, gilt ruled borders on brown cloth boards,contemporary owner's signatures on the free fly, some slight foxing, afine copy thus. (cgc) T.P.L. 1500. Lande 592. Sabin 43665. MacTaggartwas clerk of works for the building of the Rideau Canal. The textincludes his account of the clearing of 160 miles of wilderness from theOttawa River to Lake Ontario and much on navigation. ~ Born in theparish of Borgue in Kirkcud-bright Scotland in 1791 - a son of a peasant.At 25 years of age, in 1816, he wrote and published the "ScottishGallovidian Encyclopedia"; described as "an astonishing collection ofGallaway words, phrases and customs". H.V. Morton "In Scotland Again"says "It is the real thing, straight from the byre and the furrow, a bookthat could have been written only by an inspired peasant in whose heartburned, not only great love for his people, but also an acute detachedconsciousness of their manifold peculiarities". In it he libeled thedaughter of a local laird who threatened legal action and in order toavoid proceedings, all available copies were destroyed. In 1825 he cameto Canada where he stayed three years - lost his position under Bybecause of intemperance and returned to Scotland in 1828 and died in 1830at age of 39. - H.V. Morton. Author of "In Scotland Again" Item #36350
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