[HAGGART, David]
24pp. Woodcut on title page. Title within ornamental border. Disbound, six loose bifolia. A mid-eighteenth-century chapbook edition of the life, and ultimate execution, of thief and murderer David Haggart (1801-1821). On the bankruptcy of the firm of millwright for which he worked, Haggart turned to petty theft, becoming a regular pickpocket at fairs and racecourses around Kendal, Carlisle, and Newcastle, and sometimes as far north as Aberdeen. He was apprehended and imprisoned on six occasions, in four instances managing to escape from gaol. On 10th of October 1820, in escaping from Dumfries tolbooth, Haggart felled one of the guards with a stone, killing him. He remained on the run for several months before being re-arrested in March 1821. He was tried on the 11th of June found guilty of murder. A few days later he was hanged. While in gaol he partly wrote and partly dictated an account of his life and crimes, entitled Life of David Haggart, which was to be published after his death by George Robertson. The present chapbook appears to be a heavily reworked abridgement of the book, omitting the Scottish thieves' cant of the original. Size: 12mo
MACKENZIE, George
[16], 272, 271-581pp, [1]. With initial order-to-print leaf. Title in red and black. Recent red morocco-backed red pebbled cloth boards, tooled and lettered in gilt, all edges red. Lightly rubbed and marked. Book-label of Lord Aitchison to FEP, scattered spotting, occasional early manuscript notes. Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh (1636/38-1691), Scottish lawyer and essayist, his Laws and Customs of Scotland in Matters Criminal was the first systematic and detailed exposition of Scots criminal law. To begin what would be a prestigious and influential career, Mackenzie assisted in the Midlothian Trials for witchcraft in 1661, providing defence for one of the alleged. Later, during his tenure as Lord Advocate, Mackenzie became the minister responsible for the persecuting policy of Charles II against the Presbyterian Covenanters, thereby being held accountable for the deaths of hundreds due to maltreatment following the Battle of Bothwell Bridge - thus earning him the monicker of 'Bluidy Mackenzie'. The tenth article is devoted entirely to the identification and punishment of practitioners of witchcraft, including determining 'whether a witch can cause any person be possest', whether transformation be possible', 'whether they can procure love by their potions', and 'whether Witches may kill by their looks'. ESTC R217758, Wing M167. Size: Quarto
[ENGLISH THEOPHRASTUS]
[14], 384pp. With an engraved frontispiece. Contemporary panelled calf, calf lettering-piece. Extremities worn, upper joint split, lower joint starting, loss to head-cap. Endpapers browned, scattered spotting, early inked ownership inscription of George Leslie to REP. Armorial bookplate to FEP of Scottish advocate and philosopher, Henry Home, Lord Kames (1696-1782). An extended edition of an early eighteenth-century work of moral philosophy, sometimes attributed to lexicographer and journalist Abel Boyer (1667?-1729). First printed in 1702, the book collects aphorisms and observations on contemporary character types and traits, social institutions and behaviour, drawn from the writings of La Bruyere, La Rochefoucauld, and others. ESTC T85463. Size: 8vo
[RAMSAY, Allan]
xxi, 224; [3], 226-448pp, [8]. Later blind-tooled calf, morocco lettering-piece, all edges red. Rubbed. Marbled endpapers, typed bookseller's description of armorial bookplate of antiquary Adam Sim Coulter (1829-1887) to FEP, blind-stamps of Alexander Strathern to head of title page and first leaf of glossary, browned and spotted, very occasional early manuscript notes to text. A Kilmarnock-printed edition of The Tea-Table Miscellany, which, first published in three volumes in 1723, 1726, and 1727, includes Allan Ramsay's (1684-1758) own compositions as well as the poetry of prominent contemporary Jacobites and traditional ballads of the seventeenth century. ESTC T75738. Size: 12mo
[MASSACRE OF GLENCOE]
[4], 112, 52pp. Later gilt-tooled red half-morocco, marbled boards. Rubbed, spine dulled. Marbled endpapers, very occasional light spotting, book-label of Dr. Charles Waterhouse to REP. A Regency reprint of two tracts, originally published in 1711 and 1704 respectively, concerning the Jacobitism in the late seventeenth-century. The first is a memoir of Jacobite army officer John Graham, Viscount Dundee (1648-1689), known primarily for his bloody suppression of the Presbyterian Covenanters in Scotland and his leadership of the Jacobite uprising of 1689. The biography has been doubtfully attributed to Charles Leslie, likely due to his authorship of Gallienus redivivus, or, Murthere will out, which here appends Dundee's life. The second pamphlet, commonly attributed to journalist and pamphleteer George Ridpath (d. 1726), provides a succinct account of the Massacre of Glencoe - the slaughter in 1692 of members of the MacDonald clan of Glencoe for failing to promptly abandoned their allegiance to James II and pledge oaths of fealty to William III. Size: 8vo
CHAMBERS, Robert
iv, 74pp. [Bound with:] PERKINS, Rev. Erasmus [translator]. Manual of the theophilanthropists; or, adorers of god and lovers of mankind. London. Published by J. Griffin, 1822. First edition. 35pp, [1]. 12mo. Contemporary calf-tipped marbled boards, later naively rebacked in sheep. Extremities worn. Several leaves working-loose. The first edition of a succinct survey, by publisher Robert Chambers (1802-1872), of notable conflagrations throughout the history of Scotland's capital, including a detailed account of the Great Fire of Edinburgh that began on 15th November 1824 and raged for five days, decimating the area surrounding Parliament Square. The fire began at the premises of engraver James Kirkwood and ultimately engulfed 400 homes, killing at least 10 people.
[CAMERON, George]
160pp. With a half-title. Original publisher's blind-stamped green cloth, lettered in gilt to upper board. Lightly rubbed and marked, spine dulled. Internally clean and crisp. The first edition â" in original state - of a succinct history of, and guide to, Inverness. The latter half of the text, devoted to the primary structures of the Highland city, includes a brief notice on local libraries: 'The principal Circulating Library is kept by Mr Douglas, and consists of upwards of 6000 volumes', and a passage on municipal printers: 'Inverness possesses several excellent printing offices. The principal are the newspaper offices; but there are others which, although they do not command such a variety of types, are, notwithstanding, good jobbing offices. Much inconvenience has occasionally been felt for the want of a copperplate and lithographic press in the town. Work of this description has to be sent to Glasgow, Edinburgh, or Aberdeen'. Size: 8vo
ALEXANDER, William
xvi, 544pp. Unopened in original publisher's dark green cloth, printed paper lettering-piece to spine. Rubbed and marked. Internally clean and crisp. From the recently dispersed family estate (by descent) of George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse (1770-1850), Scottish jurist, satirist and friend of Walter Scott and Lord Monboddo, with his armorial bookplate to FEP. Presentation copy, inked inscription to recto of half-title: 'The Honble. Lord Corehouse from the Author'. The first edition of Writer to the Signet William Alexander's (1794-1859) summary of the particulars of Acts of Sederunt; the secondary legislation made by the Court of Session, the supreme civil court of Scotland, to regulate the proceedings of Scottish courts and tribunals hearing civil matters. Size: 8vo
[DONNELLAN, John]
43pp, [1]. Later gilt-ruled half-calf, marbled boards, contrasting black morocco lettering-piece. Extremities a trifle marked. Stab-stitch holes to gutter, scattered spotting, slight loss to upper corners of leaves F1-2, manuscript mathematical calculations to blank verso of final leaf. The sole edition of a pamphlet relating the proceedings of the trial of Captain John Donnellan for the murder of his brother-in-law Sir Theodosius Boughton, seventh baronet of Lawford. (1760-1780). In August of 1780, Boughton had taken ill. His mother brought him a beverage to soothe his malady; he had complained that it tasted foul, but imbibed nonetheless. He died soon after. After his funeral, suspicions arose surrounding the cause of Boughton's death. The body was exhumed and examined. A coroner's inquest ruled that Boughton was poisoned and returned a verdict of murder against Donellan. Despite the preponderance of circumstantial evidence, and Donellan's claims of innocence, he was convicted, condemned and executed on 2nd April 1781. ESTC T92907. Size: 8vo
PARKER, John
xxxiv, 341pp, [1]. Uncut and unopened in original publisher's two-tone paper board, printed paper lettering-piece to spine. A trifle rubbed and marked. Internally clean and crisp. From the recently dispersed family estate (by descent) of George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse (1770-1850), Scottish jurist, satirist and friend of Walter Scott and Lord Monboddo, with his armorial bookplate to FEP. The second edition, in original state, of Principal Extractor in the Court of Session John Parker's authoritative survey concerning arbitration agreements in Scotland from the early seventeenth-century up to 1828. The first edition is apparently unrecorded. Bell and Bradfute issued a 'second', enlarged edition in 1845. Size: 8vo
MILLAR, John
[4], xxii, 312pp. With a half-title. Contemporary calf-backed marbled paper boards, contrasting red morocco lettering-piece. Extremities worn, joints split. Occasional marginal ink-spotting. From the recently dispersed family estate (by descent) of George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse (1770-1850), Scottish jurist, satirist and friend of Walter Scott and Lord Monboddo, with his armorial bookplate to FEP. The expanded edition of Scottish jurist John Millar's (1735-1801) pioneering attempt at a historical sociology of social authority, covering, familial relations, class distinction, the history and condition of women, and political and martial leadership. The final chapter 'Of the condition of servants in different parts of the world' demonstrates both Millar's support of the American cause and his opposition towards slavery. First published in 1771, the work influenced the developing field of anthropological studies and historical jurisprudence. ESTC T113111. Size: 8vo
IRVING, David
In two volumes. [8], 447, [1]; [6], 507pp, [1]. Contemporary gilt-tooled red half-morocco, marbled boards. Rubbed, lower joints split, spine sunned. Armorial bookplates of Sir Marcus Somerville to both FEPs. The first edition of literary scholar and librarian David Irving's (1778-1860) comprehensive and authoritative survey of the literary history of Scotland, with specific attention paid to influential Scottish poets, including David Lindsay, James VI, and, naturally, Robert Burns. Size: 8vo
[THE GUARDIAN]
In two volumes. [6], 334, [8]; [4], 346pp, [10]. Contemporary gilt-tooled calf, morocco lettering-pieces. Lightly rubbed and sunned. Internally clean and crisp. The sole Foulis edition of The Guardian, a short-lived periodical, originally published in 175 daily numbers, March 12 to October 1, 1713. It was founded by Richard Steele and featured contributions from Joseph Addison, Thomas Tickell, Alexander Pope and Ambrose Philips. Steele and Addison had previously collaborated on the Tatler and The Spectator. ESTC records copies of this Glaswegian edition at six locations in the British Isles (Birmingham, BL, Edinburgh, Mitchell, NLS, and St. Andrews); and a further five in North America (Boston, McGill, California, Chicago, and Oklahoma). ESTC T130131. Size: 12mo
ROBERTSON, Charles
In two volumes. [4], 408, 36[4], 451, [1], 16pp. With tipped-in errata slips. Uncut and unopened in original publisher's cloth-backed buff paper boards. A trifle rubbed and marked, spines sunned. From the recently dispersed family estate (by descent) of George Cranstoun, Lord Corehouse (1770-1850), Scottish jurist, satirist and friend of Walter Scott and Lord Monboddo, with his armorial bookplate to FEP. Presentation copy, inked inscription to recto of Vol. I FFEP: 'With Mr. Charles Robertson's Compts.' The sole edition, in original state, of an extensive and authoritative survey of the Auchterarder case, a legal dispute that proved to be the first in a series of events that ultimately led to the 1843 schism in the Church of Scotland. In 1834, following the recent passing of the Veto Act, the parishioners of Auchterarder unanimously voted to reject their patron's nomination of a new minister, Robert Young, and the Presbytery duly refused to proceed with his ordination and induction. Young appealed to the Court of Session which, in 1838, concluded that in passing the Veto Act the Church had acted ultra vires, and infringed the statutory rights of patrons. A supplement was issued in 1839. Size: 8vo
