Brown, John.

A summary of the history of the Franklin Search until 1858 when John Brown died. It is quite a comprehensive summary, if a bit dogmatic in Brown’s criticism of various searchers. He sounds at times like Barrow criticizing Sir John Ross for not finding the answer he wanted.

This second edition of Brown updates the summary beyond the significant date of 1859 and McClintock’s report. A final section is an unpaginated “Opinions of the Press,” ending with an encomium to Brown from Alexander von Humboldt (August 16, 1858), on the last printed [but unpaginated] page of the book. An excerpt is included here as a remarkable example of a reading experience from an unusual source:

This follow-up adds some opinion defending Franklin as the discoverer of the North-West Passage, but doesn’t appear to add much more on the Franklin Search and the earlier book. But the Harvard copy is an interesting one (Harvard Tower 120.) Presentation copy from John Barrow (Sir John Barrow’s son), with letters laid in, one dated Nov. 16, 1860: I am compelled again to differ with high arctic authority which is a matter rather of regret to me.—as you know how much I esteem

A brief review of the McClintock findings on King William Island, further plans for the Search, and a spirited appeal to the genius of England to rise to the challenge of the Franklin Search.