Narino: Hero of Colombian Independence

xxix+212 pages with plates, illustrations, maps, bibliography and index. Royal octavo (9 1/4" x 6") bound in original publisher's red cloth with gilt lettering to spine and cover in original pictorial jacket. First edition. Antonio Nariño (1765 1823) as a prosperous merchant who served as alcalde and as royal treasurer of tithes. He also headed a group that met to discuss the issues of the day in the light of new intellectual currents emanating from the European Enlightenment, whose principal authors were represented in Nariño's extensive personal library. He gained political notoriety when he was arrested in 1794 for having printed and secretly distributed a Spanish translation of the French revolutionary Declaration of the Rights of Man. He traveled where he attempted to sound out the British concerning possible help in case a revolution broke out in Spanish America. In 1797 he returned to New Granada, where he boldly surrendered to the authorities. He was not sent back to exile, but over the following years he was in and out of jail on suspicion of revolutionary activities. By the end of 1810, Nariño plunged into revolutionary politics. In May 1814 Nariño, having led an army south to overcome the royalist bastion of Pasto, was taken prisoner by the enemy and shipped to Spain. The Spanish liberal revolution of 1820 led to Nariño's freedom. He returned home to aid the cause of independence and served briefly in 1821 as provisional vice president of Gran Colombia, by appointment of Simón Bolívar. Condition: Small date stamped at head endpapers; spine ends lightly rubbed. Jacket lightly soiled, corners rubbed else better than very good in a near fine jacket.