Great post! Almost a year late here, but Melville could have read Hakluyt at the New York Society Library, where he was a member in 1848 and 1850. The 1850 NYSL catalogue lists two copies of Hakluyt, from 1599 and 1809 (though I don't think they still have them in their collection).
Good point! Makes me wonder what I can find about the NYSL at the time, including whether their staff included any sub-librarians... Perhaps a task for 2025!
Excellent inauguration of this blog - looking forward to more! I came here via the Berkshire County Historical Society, which preserves Melville's Arrowhead. And I'm delighted that you consulted the Project Gutenberg e-book of Hakluyt's magnum opus. I was one of the many volunteers who helped prepare it (via Distributed Proofreaders). We love it when our work is useful to others!
Thank you, and what an amazing coincidence! Project Gutenberg is an under-appreciated treasure -- I rely on it practically daily. So thanks also for making this research possible!
Lovely post. From the word usher you have left the letter H, which almost alone makes up the signification of the word. "It’s no wonder the pale user is dusting off his old lexicons and grammars."
Great post! Almost a year late here, but Melville could have read Hakluyt at the New York Society Library, where he was a member in 1848 and 1850. The 1850 NYSL catalogue lists two copies of Hakluyt, from 1599 and 1809 (though I don't think they still have them in their collection).
Good point! Makes me wonder what I can find about the NYSL at the time, including whether their staff included any sub-librarians... Perhaps a task for 2025!
Excellent inauguration of this blog - looking forward to more! I came here via the Berkshire County Historical Society, which preserves Melville's Arrowhead. And I'm delighted that you consulted the Project Gutenberg e-book of Hakluyt's magnum opus. I was one of the many volunteers who helped prepare it (via Distributed Proofreaders). We love it when our work is useful to others!
Thank you, and what an amazing coincidence! Project Gutenberg is an under-appreciated treasure -- I rely on it practically daily. So thanks also for making this research possible!
Lovely post. From the word usher you have left the letter H, which almost alone makes up the signification of the word. "It’s no wonder the pale user is dusting off his old lexicons and grammars."
Thanks, Susan! Fixed.