Andrés González de Barcia and the Creation of the Colonial Spanish American Library

__Andrés González de Barcia and the Creation of the Colonial Spanish American Library__ is an investigation into González de Barcia and his editorial agenda. It is essential to understanding the nature and importance of this great scholar and his contribution to the development of Spanish historiography, bibliography, and book history.

One of early Enlightenment Spain's most important scholars, Andrés González de Barcia (1673-1743) produced more than two dozen critical editions of some of Spain's most significant works on the New World, many of which were already rare when he published them. In this highly original new book, Jonathan E. Carlyon traces González de Barcia's work as editor, bibliographer, and author, focusing on his program of scholarly republication that resulted in the creation of the first comprehensive colonial Spanish American library.

González de Barcia established his collection to provide the historiography of the period with an order and clarity. He sought to underline what he considered to be the truth regarding colonial Spain by supplying his editions with marginal notes, prefatory writings, and scholarly indices. In so doing, he prepared the foundation for the modern study of colonial Spanish American letters.

Andrés González de Barcia and the Creation of the Colonial Spanish American Library is an investigation into González de Barcia and his editorial agenda. It is essential to understanding the nature and importance of this great scholar and his contribution to the development of Spanish historiography, bibliography, and book history.

One of early Enlightenment Spain's most important scholars, Andrés González de Barcia (1673-1743) produced more than two dozen critical editions of some of Spain's most significant works on the New World, many of which were already rare when he published them. In this highly original new book, Jonathan E. Carlyon traces González de Barcia's work as editor, bibliographer, and author, focusing on his program of scholarly republication that resulted in the creation of the first comprehensive colonial Spanish American library. González de Barcia established his collection to provide the historiography of the period with an order and clarity. He sought to underline what he considered to be the truth regarding colonial Spain by supplying his editions with marginal notes, prefatory writings, and scholarly indices. In so doing, he prepared the foundation for the modern study of colonial Spanish American letters. Andrés González de Barcia and the Creation of the Colonial Spanish American Library is an investigation into González de Barcia and his editorial agenda. It is essential to understanding the nature and importance of this great scholar and his contribution to the development of Spanish historiography, bibliography, and book history Contents 7 Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 13 1. Andrés González de Barcia as Commentator in the First Phase of His Scholarship on the Historiography of the Indies 28 2. The Epítome de la Biblioteca, Before: Seventeenth-Century Conceptualizations of the Bibliographical Mission: Antonio de León Pinelo and Nicolás Antonio 62 3. The Epítome de la Biblioteca, After: Bibliography as a Reflection of Andrés González de Barcia’s Intellectual Project for New World Scholarship 97 4. Andrés González de Barcia’s Creation of the Spanish American Library and His Edition of Gregorio García’s Origen de los Indios 128 5. The Index as Scholarly and Political Tool in the Americanist Editions of Andrés González de Barcia 175 Appendix: Complete Bibliography of González de Barcia’s Americanist Editions (1720–1743) 211 Notes 217 Works Cited 233 Index 249 "One of early Enlightenment Spain's most important scholars, Andres Gonzalez de Barcia (1673-1743) produced more than two dozen critical editions of some of Spain's most significant works on the New World, many of which were already rare when he published them. In this highly original new book, Jonathan Carlyon traces Gonzalez de Barcia's work as editor, bibliographer, and author, focusing on his program of scholarly republication that resulted in the creation of the first comprehensive colonial Spanish American library."--Résumé de l'éditeur