Lucas, Fielding Jr. “Kentucky"

Fielding Lucas, Jr. “Kentucky.” 

Philadelphia: H.C. Carey & I. Lea, 1822.  11 1/4 x 18 1/2 (map).  Engraving by Young & Delleker.  Full original hand color.  Map skillfully rejoined along center fold.  Otherwise, very good condition.  A/A

In 1822, Henry Charles Carey and Isaac Lea published their A Complete Historical, Chronological, and Geographical American Atlas.  This volume was based on Emmanuel Las Cases’ Atlas Historique of 1803, with updated maps and text modified by Carey, a political economist.  He considered himself an American foil to John Stuart Mill and the London economists who were proclaimers of “the gloomy science” influenced by Ricardo and Malthus.  Instead of preaching overpopulation and degeneration of the human species, Carey illustrated the nations of the western hemisphere through maps that showed an expanding region with ample promise of developing into lands of great new opportunity and growth.

The sheets from this atlas, which cover North America, Central America, South America and the West Indies, are comprised of an engraved map surrounded by text documenting the history, climate, population and so forth of the area depicted.  The atlas is particularly known for its excellent early maps of the states and territories of the United States.  This map of Kentucky was drawn by Fielding Lucas, an important Baltimore cartographer.  The impressively extensive road system is shown with good detail, with distances between the scattered towns indicated.  The river system and mountains are well delineated, and the counties are colored with bright washes.  Interestingly, Pilot Knob, a known landmark, is shown in two spots, both northeast and southwest of ‘Bowlingreen.’  As with most of the maps in the Carey & Lea atlas, this map includes surrounding text giving a brief description of the history and geography of the region depicted.  Overall, a nice verbal and graphic picture of Kentucky.