Daniel Kidder Revisions (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Hardcover. First American Edition. Originally published in New Zealand in the Notices of the Wesleyan Missionary Society, and later in two volumes titled "First and Second Missionary Visits" published two years apart. This American edition combines both volumes and presents the text in a more uniform manner. This edition includes additional engraved illustrations (Preface to American Edition). Rev. Walter Lawry (1793 - 1859), a Methodist missionary born in England and later stationed in New Zealand, first visited Tonga in June of 1822, where he stayed for nearly a year. He returned about 25 years later to find that many of the tribes had converted to Christianity and were noticabley more peaceable and less "savage." His first journal details his return visit in 1847 and the second journal discusses his second return visit in 1850. These journals are particularly interesting as Lawry recounts his experiences during both his early 1822 visit as well as his later 1847 and 1850 visits, noting the substantial differences, which he (of course) attributes to the work of missionaries and acceptance of Christ. Includes graphic descriptions of violence he witnessed first hand (Preface). Bound in olive green cloth covered boards with gilt title and decoration to spine. Embossed design to both boards. A few small puncture marks to front joint, minor rubbing to boards, and minor wear to edges of boards and corners. Slight bumping to corners. Ex-library with three library bookplates to front pastedown and browning to rear endpapers from a removed library envelope. Embossed library stamp to title page. Occasional spots of foxing throughout, heaviest on first few pages. Includes map of FeeJee and friendly islands of the South Pacific as well as nine full page illustrations. 499 pages plus 4 pages of advertisements. SOPAC/061225.