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Book/Printed Material Natural History of the West Indies. Histoire naturelle ou la fidelle recherche de tout ce qu'il y a de rare dans les Indes Occidantalles

About this Item

Title

  • Natural History of the West Indies.

Other Title

  • Histoire naturelle ou la fidelle recherche de tout ce qu'il y a de rare dans les Indes Occidantalles

Summary

  • Louis Nicolas (active 1667-75) was a French Jesuit who in 1664 was sent to Canada as a missionary, where he remained until 1675. He traveled widely and developed a keen interest in the people, languages, flora, and fauna of New France. He wrote three major works, none of which was published in his lifetime but which survived in manuscript form: Histoire naturelle ou la fidelle recherche de tout ce qu'il y a de rare dans les Indes Occidantalles (Natural history, or the faithful research on all that is rare in the West Indies), known as Histoire Naturelle des Indes Occidentales (Natural history of the West Indies); the pictorial manuscript known as the Codex Canadensis; and Grammaire algonquine ou des sauvages de l'Amérique septentrionale (Algonquin grammar or on the natives of North America). The natural history, presented here, represents, according to its author, more than "20 years of assiduous work." Its 12 books describe with equal quality and depth the fauna and flora of "a nearly infinite land" stretching from the land of the Eskimos to that of the Sioux. As is known from the introductory remarks to his Algonquin grammar, Nicolas conceived of the natural history as part of great work on New France, covering language, the topography of the New World, including a natural history of its plant and animal life, and the politics, customs, and religion of the natives. Nicolas returned to France in 1675 and was released from the Jesuit order in December 1678, although he remained a priest. Nothing is known of his subsequent life or when and where he died.

Names

  • Nicolas, Louis, active 1667-1675 Author.

Created / Published

  • [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], [1664 to 1675]

Headings

  • -  Canada
  • -  United States of America
  • -  1664 to 1675
  • -  Description and travel
  • -  France in America
  • -  France--Colonies
  • -  Indian linguistics
  • -  Indians of North America
  • -  Indigenous peoples
  • -  Jesuits
  • -  Mississippi River Valley
  • -  Natural history
  • -  New France
  • -  Saint Lawrence River Valley

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  "Nicolas's Algonquin grammar book is also presented in the World Digital Library."--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
  • -  Original resource extent: 197 pages ; 32.5 x 20.5 centimeters.
  • -  Original resource at: National Library of France.
  • -  Content in French.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021668140

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • pdf
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

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Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Nicolas, Louis, Active Author. Natural History of the West Indies. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1675, 1664] Pdf. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021668140/.

APA citation style:

Nicolas, L. (1664) Natural History of the West Indies. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1675] [Pdf] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021668140/.

MLA citation style:

Nicolas, Louis, Active Author. Natural History of the West Indies. [Place of Publication Not Identified: Publisher Not Identified, to 1675, 1664] Pdf. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021668140/>.