Niff and His Dogs. Containing Niff and His Dogs, The young Soldier, Uncle Johnson

Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1866. Very good.. 84pp. 12mo. Original embossed publisher's cloth, spine gilt lettered. Light wear to corners and spine ends. Scattered foxing and dust soiling internally, heavier to initial leaves. Contemporary gift inscription on front free endpaper. The third tract in this slim volume, "Uncle Johnson: The Pilgrim of Six Score Years," is the first appearance of the Reverend Gustavus Foster's biographical account of the former slave Uncle Johnson. An early footnote clarifies that Johnson, "was purely of African descent. His full name was Johnson Harrison -- the Harrison, as he said, being his master's name in Virginia, and the Johnson his own. For this he preferred to be called Johnson." Johnson was born into slavery during colonial times and given freedom in his old age in the mid-19th century. He relayed the events of his life to his neighbor Foster over the years before his death -- his enslaver marking Johnson's birthdate in his Bible (1745, thus improbably making him 120 years old at the time of his passing); General Washington making frequent visits to the plantation; celebrations of the Declaration of Independence; and more. Foster continues in his own vein to describe Johnson as a good an pious neighbor. The two tracts preceding the account of Johnson are reprints of writing by English preacher John Ashworth. The narrative of Johnson's life went on to be published the next year separately under the title, "Uncle Johnson: A Pilgrimage of Six Score Years." We locate three copies of the present edition, at the Princeton Theological Seminary, the University of Utah, and the Presbyterian Historical Society. Scarce.