{"value"=>"<p> Writings consist of manuscript essays, articles, letters and other items written chiefly for the New York press on contemporary affairs, 1749-1785, as well as eight folio volumes containing Smith’s diaries (known as his <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> ), draft historical works, documents copied for reference, and legal case notes, 1750s-1783.</p> <p> Essays and other writings (items 235-262), 1749-1785, include essays for the <span class=\"title\">Independent Reflector</span> and the <span class=\"title\">Occasional Reverberator</span>, written by himself or with contributions from William Livingston and John Morin Scott; columns and letters for the <span class=\"title\">New-York Gazette</span> and the <span class=\"title\">New-York Mercury</span> ; and other items intended for publication. Also of interest is an essay on the consequences of the American Revolution (item 262), written during his stay in England, 1785. Publication references are provided but may not be inclusive.</p> <p> In his <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span>, 1753-1783, Smith recorded important conversations and events to order his own thinking and understanding of the political environment, thus illuminating his efforts to shape policy and influence individuals during tumultuous times. They are particularly rich in detail during his residence at Livingston Manor, where he remained in contact with important patriot friends and relations such as Philip Schuyler. Smith also explicitly intended the <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> to stand as a record of the era, should he decide not to write a further installment of his 1757 <span class=\"title\">History</span> (volume 2, page 475). While some family matters are recorded, the <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> are essentially a record of his professional and political life.</p> <p> The manuscript of Smith’s <span class=\"title\">History of the Province of New-York</span> is not present in the collection and does not appear to be extant. However, the collection does include the draft <span class=\"title\">Continuation</span> of the <span class=\"title\">History of the Province of New-York</span> .</p> <p> Both the <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> and <span class=\"title\">Continuation</span> were written in seven folio volumes. The <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> are not in close chronological order. This is because Smith often left sections of blank pages for use at a later time. In addition, he sometimes wrote memoranda for the <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> (diary entries or drafts of entries) on separate sheets of paper. This was especially the case during the Revolutionary period, when he did not always have access to his volumes. Tables of content inserted in the volumes were typed in the early 20th century, and may not be inclusive.</p> <p> Entries in the <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span>, in rough chronological order, are as follows. Loose diary entries for 1769 and 1776-1778 are bound in supplemental volume 8.</p> <ul class=\"list\"> <li>1753 October 5-1760 December 5 (volume 2)</li> <li>1761 October 19-1775 August 14 (volume 4)</li> <li> Note of public proceedings in Assembly, 1769 (volume 8)</li> <li>1775 September 4-1777 May 4 (volume 5)</li> <li>1776 February 4 (volume 8)</li> <li>1777 May 5-18 (volume 2)</li> <li>1777 July 17-November 15 (volume 8)</li> <li>1777 November 25-1778 May 5 (volume 5)</li> <li>1778 May 6-July 5 (volume 3)</li> <li>1778 July 2-25 (volume 8)</li> <li>1778 August 26-1780 December 21 (volume 6)</li> <li>1780 December 21-1783 November 12 (volume 7)</li></ul> <p> The <span class=\"title\">Continuation</span> of the <span class=\"title\">History of the Province of New-York</span>, covering the years 1732 to 1762, appears in volumes 1 and 2, with an earlier draft of the Clarke and Clinton administrations in volume 3. Smith’s introduction to a planned history of Governor William Tryon’s administration, covering his years in North Carolina, with transcriptions from Tryon’s papers, are found in volumes 1 and 3.</p> <p> Other British and colonial documents transcribed for various purposes by Smith or others are also found throughout the volumes. These include historical and contemporary sources for Smith’s <span class=\"title\">History of the Province of New-York</span> and its <span class=\"title\">Continuation</span>, and items such as colonial land patents, which would have been pertinent to Smith’s work as a lawyer, councillor, boundary commissioner, land speculator and historian.</p> <p> Legal case notes on New York Supreme Court of Judicature proceedings, 1756-1759, are found in volume 5.</p> <p> The volumes also contain inserted manuscript letters and notes, as well as printed matter. Most were inserted by Smith; others were inserted by the Library. Inserted manuscript items are identified individually in the container list. Smith sometimes transcribed important letters and documents in the text of his <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> as well.</p> <p> Smith’s <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> from 16 March 1763 to 25 July 1778, edited by William H.W. Sabine, were published in two volumes by Colburn & Tegg, 1956-1958. They were reprinted in one volume by The New York Times and Arno Press in 1969 (retaining their separate paginations), followed in 1971 by their publication of Sabine’s edition of the <span class=\"title\">Historical Memoirs</span> from 26 August 1778 to 12 November 1783 (1 volume). Together these form two volumes in their <span class=\"title\">Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution</span> series. Sabine’s work omits entries from October 5, 1753 through a narrative of events in early 1763 (see volumes 2 and 3 in Smith’s papers); his work begins with the entry dated 1763 March 16. Sabine believed Smith’s rewritten coverage of that period in his <span class=\"title\">Continuation</span> to be sufficient, as stated in his introduction: <span class=\"title\"> Historical Memoirs from 16 March 1763 to 25 July 1778 of William Smith</span>, ed. William H.W. Sabine (New York: New York Times and Arno Press, 1969), vol. 2, vi (2 v. in 1).</p> <p> For the publication history of the <span class=\"title\">History of the Province of New-York</span> and its <span class=\"title\">Continuation</span>, researchers should consult “A Note on the Text” in vol. 1 of <span class=\"title\"> The History of the Province of New-York, by William Smith Jr.</span> Edited by Michael Kammen. 2 vols. (Cambridge: Belknap Press of the Harvard University Press, 1972). His edition of the <span class=\"title\">Continuation</span> appears in vol. 2.</p>"}