Historical information

These two important books are part of a series produced in the 1880s but they have widely-different content. One describes the natural history of the Parish of Selborne in the County of Hampshire in England. It was written by the British naturalist and ornithologist, Gilbert White and first published in 1789. Since that time it has been republished over 300 times right up to the present day. It is notable for its charm and simplicity and for its description of a pre-industrial England. The other is by the American author, Walt Whitman, first published in 1871. It is a major work of comparative politics and expounds on the influence of the Louisiana Purchase and the expansion of the American spirit and character. It also denounces the post-Civil War materialism that had spread at that time in America.

Significance

These books are of interest because of their antiquarian nature but they are mostly of local Warrnambool interest because of their inscriptions. The books belonged to William Hugh McMahon (1862-1936). William McMahon commenced a legal practice in Warrnambool in 1894, firstly in Liebig Street and later in Kepler Street. He was a prominent lawyer in Warrnambool for 30 years and a staunch adherent of the Presbyterian Church. He and his family lived at ‘Glenrye’ at the corner of Ardlie Street and Botanic Road, a site where the St. John of God Hospital was later established.

Physical description

These two accompanying volumes are in the Camelot Series (1887 and 1888). They are hard cover books with red covers and two ornamental patterns on the front cover (stylized urn and fan shapes). The urn pattern is repeated on the spines. ‘The Natural History of Selborne’ has 366 pages (a Preface and Chapters on the Natural History of Selborne, a Naturalist’s Calendar and Observations on Various Branches of Natural History) and ‘Democratic Vistas’ has 175 pages (a Preface and 12 Chapters). The latter has the remains of a label stuck to the front cover. The handwriting on the inside first pages are in black ink.

Inscriptions & markings

Book One: ‘W.H.McMahon, June 24th 1889, Warrnambool’
Book Two: ‘W.H.McMahon, Sept. 4th 1891, Warrnambool’