NOTE. 



THE Natural History of North Carolina, writ- 

 ten by John Brickell, a physician who lived and 

 practiced medicine in Edenton, N. C, about 1731, 

 is the most interesting of the early histories of the State. 

 Copies of this book are now very rare and difficult to obtain. 

 Within the past few months a student of the State's history 

 considered himself fortunate in securing one from abroad, at 

 a cost of more than $40. 



As the growing interest in the State's history in the past 

 few years makes it desirable to place this book within the 

 reach of readers, the trustees of the State Library have 

 authorized its republication. 



Dr. Brickell's history is the best description we have of 

 the natural, social, and economic conditions in the Colony of 

 North Carolina, but its merits have been obscured and its 

 value largely depreciated by careless and unjust reviewers. 



Jared Sparks and others charged him with plagiarizing 

 Lawson. Of this, Dr. Stephen B. Weeks says : 



''These statements are only partially correct, and do grave 

 injustice to Brickell. He acknowledges in his preface that 

 his work is 'a compendious collection of most things yet 

 known in that part of the world.' But it is a good deal more 

 than a mere slavish reprint of Lawson. It is further in- 

 creased almost one-half in bulk. The reprint of Lc",v"son 

 made in 18G0 contains 390 pages, with about 27C words 

 to the page. Of this space, 106 pages are taken i:p with his 

 'Journal of a Thousand Miles Travel.' Thi? part is not 

 used by Brickell. The edition of his work published in 

 1737 contains 408 pages, about 340 words tc the page. 



"Brickell took the book of Lawson, rewoiked it in his own 

 fashion, extended or curtailed, and brought it to his time. 

 The effect of his professional training is seen everywhere. 



