American Poems, Selected and Original. Vol. 1 [all published] by [AMERICAN POETRY]. [Smith, Elihu Hubbard, Compiler] - 1793

Litchfield, (CT): Printed by Collier and Buel, [1793], 1793. First edition, state A.. Stoddard & Whitesell 448; Wegelin 489; Evans 25104; BAL 4976 (Dunlap) & 5046 (Dwight). Front blank and rear free endpaper lacking; some foxing and stains; a very good copy.. 8vo, contemporary sheep, gilt rules (spine label gone, but still bearing the impression of the lettering). 6-page list of subscribers and errata. The first anthology of American poetry; a second volume was planned, but never published. Smith (1771-1798), a physician and author who died at 28 of yellow fever, was an active member of the "Hartford Wits" literary group and a close associate of the American novelist Charles Brockden Brown, who was living with Smith in Litchfield when this anthology of 70 poems was compiled. Modern scholarship has placed Brown among the contributors of anonymous poems, specifically as the author of "Utrum Horum Mavis, Elige," on pages 222-224. Other contributors include William Trumbull, Theodore Dwight, Joel Barlow, David Humphreys, William Dunlap, Richard Alsop and Philip Freneau.