A Note on Melville's Redburn

D R. Charles R. Anderson's compilation of evidence' has made it possible to check many of the apparently autobiographical passages in Typee, Omoo, Mardi, White Jacket and Moby Dick against established facts and other testimony. Unfortunately, no such discoveries have been made, or are likely to be made, by which we can check Melville's story of his first voyage as given in Redburn. Some of the few passages in the novel which can be checked are those referring to the books Melville read on the voyage of the Highlander. Melville's story of trying to read Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations has the smack of truth.2 On the page preceding his account of that unsuccessful effort, however, there are two books mentioned which have not been identified, so far as I know. The passage reads

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