Ecosse

1826 · 229498 — Edinburgh: Printed by James Ballantyne and Company for William Blackwood Edinburgh: and T. Cadell Strand London 1826. Second edition of the first two Letters First edition of the Third Letter. 60; 86 2 blank; 39 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Half red morocco preserving nineteenth-century marbled boards. Fine. Second edition of the first two Letters First edition of the Third Letter. 60; 86 2 blank; 39 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. "change every thing in Scotland to an English model". "In this series of 'Letters' defending the issuance of Scottish banknotes Scott benefits from his work on Swift by patterning the Malachi Malagrowther letters on Swift's Drapier's Letters" Todd & Bowden p. 621.<br/><br/>"In February 1826 there may have been a degree of calculation in Scott's entering the debate on a government measure introduced to deal with the economic crisis which would have restricted the rights of the Scottish banks to issue their own notes but Scott represented it as a nationalist issue 'the late disposition to change every thing in Scotland to an English model' Journal 94. In February and March he wrote three letters to the editor of the Edinburgh Weekly Journal in which he used the currency issue as an exemplum for the larger tendency. The letters caused a sensation. Ministerial friends were very angry but withdrew the measure. The banks were grateful; taking a lead from his old rival in love William Forbes they agreed to the creation of a trust for the settling of Scott's debts and The Letters of Malachi Malagrowther as the letters are now known is recognized as a classic in political argument" DNB.<br/><br/>A complete set uncommon. Todd & Bowden 186Ac 187Ac 188Ab. Kress III C1778 C1781 C1784 Printed by James Ballantyne and Company for William Blackwood, Edinburgh: and T. Cadell, Strand, London unknown books