A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia

by Thomas Harriot

Reprint of 1590 edition, with 28 engravings by de Bry (from John White) of Indian villages, activities, dress, more. Great classic of Americana, fascinating for European image of America. "The Dover edition must rank as one of the finest achievements in reprinting to date." — Reprint Bulletin.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Renaissance, Classics, American History, School, Read For School

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1588

About the author

Thomas Harriot (1560 - 1621), also spelled Harriott, Hariot or Heriot, was an English astronomer, mathematician, ethnographer and translator to whom the theory of refraction is attributed. Thomas Harriot was also recognized for his contributions in navigational techniques, working closely with John White to create advanced maps for navigation. While Harriot worked extensively on numerous papers on the subjects of astronomy, mathematics and navigation, he remains obscure because he published little of it, namely only The Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia (1588). This book includes descriptions of English settlements and financial issues in Virginia at the time. He is sometimes credited with the introduction of the potato to the British Isles. Harriot was the first person to make a drawing of the Moon through a telescope, on 5 August 1609, about four months before Galileo Galilei.

After graduating from St Mary Hall, Oxford, Harriot traveled to the Americas, accompanying the 1585 expedition to Roanoke island funded by Sir Walter Raleigh and led by Sir Ralph Lane. He learned the Carolina Algonquian language from two Native Americans, Wanchese and Manteo, and could translate it, making him a vital member of the expedition. On his return to England, he worked for the 9th Earl of Northumberland.

Reviews

[Jessica]

This is a beautiful little piece of propaganda that not only invites colonial Brits to come plunder the shores of North Carolina but shows them how (here's all the things you can do with free cedar trees!). The original "Lonely Planet," Harriot's beautifully illustrated guide offers a rare visual glimpse into the desires and fears of the colonists.

[Brandon Miller]

I was reading Paul Johnson's History of the American People and its discussion of this book and the initial English American colony, and the mention of this pamphlet piqued my interest. I figured it was a PDF somewhere (I was correct!), and had to investigate. I'm so glad I did. This was marvelous. Reading it and really getting a glimpse into the minds of these men changed my understanding of what the earliest colonies were like, and more specifically, how their citizens viewed the new world. Imagine waking up one day and suddenly there's an entire continent's worth of natural resources available to anyone with the guts and brains to make something of it.
Anyway, a 5-star rating seemed too anachronistic, but I was inspired. I wrote a poem.

[Fallon Burner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this edition because the pages are so big - it certainly makes the old type style and spellings easier to read, not to mention the pictures are so much better bigger.

[Dimitri Bartels · Rating 1 out of 5]

***1.5

Terribly boring and terribly a product of its time, but I appreciated it for its linguistical value.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read for my Eng. Lit class

[Abby]

read most of it for world history

[Marin Hanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

mad boring hariot

[Capri · Rating 2 out of 5]

like whatever

[Tammy Mannarino · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a challenging read due to the old English spellings and phrasing, but well worth it to experience a 400+ year old primary source on early explorations in Virginia. Lists of plants and wildlife were at times tedious and others fascinating. It was a bit surprising that they realized at the time that native americans were dying as a result of their visits to villages. Their hosts would, at times, give them preferential treatment out of fear that their village would be "cursed" upon the visitors' departure.

[Rosemary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not an easy read. Written in 16th century English and this edition is a facsimile of orginal.