First Edition of Boswell's First Foray into Politics
Letter to the People of Scotland, On the Present State of the Nation.
Edinburgh: Printed and Sold by all the Booksellers, 1783.
First Edition. 43, [1, blank] pp. Some minor foxing, mainly to title-page. This pamphlet is bound at the end of the volume.
This pamphlet, representing Boswell's first foray into politics, is rare at auction. There have been no copies of this first at auction since 1968. According to Pottle "The pamphlet seems to be rare; at least it appears in the catalogues of few large libraries. There are two copies in the British Museum, one in the Harvard College Library and one in the New York Public Library."
"This is the first of Boswell's " characteristical pamphlets" to bear his name on the title-page, and it makes a new and important stage in Boswell's career, his real reason for penning the pamphlet undoubtedly being that he saw a general election imminent and proposed to stand as parliamentary candidate for Ayrshire." (Maggs 603-1953).
ESTC T17200. Pottle 105/106.
[Bound together with]
DE LOLME, John Lewis. Observations upon the National Embarrassment and the Proceedings in Parliament Relative to the Same. London, Printed for J. Debrett, 1789. [2], 81, [1, publisher's advertisement] pp. Old ink note on title-page. "First published in 1789 as ’The present national embarrassment considered’". ESTC T185623
[And]
DUTENS, M.L. Histoire De Se Qui S'est Passe Pour L'Establissement D'une Regence En Angleterre En 1788 et 1789. London, Chez J. Walter, 1791. Third Edition. iv, 155, [1, blank] pp.
[And]
[ANONYMOUS] Serious Enquiries into the Motives and Consequences of Our Present Armament against Russia. London. J. Debrett, 1791. [4], 60, [8, publisher's advertisements] pp. With half-title and a folding chart.
[And]
[ANONYMOUS] Considerations on the Approach of War and the Conduct of His Majesty's Ministries. London. For J. Debrett, 1791. [2], 40, [2, publisher's advertisements] pp.
[And]
[ANONYMOUS] A Short Seasonable Hint, addressed to the Landowers and Merchants of Great Britain, on the Alarm of a War with Russia. London. For J. Debrett, 1791. 38, [2, publisher's advertisements] pp.
[And]
Lettre D'un Habitant De Paris, Au Baron d'E*** a L*** en Suisse, Sur La Journee du 19 Juin 1790. 99, [1, blank] pp.
Octavo (8 1/4 x 5 inches; 210 x 128 mm). All pamphlets bound together in contemporary half calf over marbled boards. Red morocco spine label, lettered in gilt. Some occasional foxing but otherwise very clean. Previous owners old ink notes on front endpapers. A very good copy.
HBS 68272.
$5,000.
Price: $5,000.00
Item #68272