Stuart de Rothesay, Charles Stuart, Baron (1779-1845) / Hay, Robert William (1786-1861) / Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (1780 – 1831) [Baron de Rousseau – French Orientalist and French Consul at Tripoli] / Alexander Gordon Laing (1794 – 1826) [Scottish explorer and the first European to reach Timbuktu] / Hanmer Warrington / Foreign Secretary for Prime Minister Wellington, George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen [Lord Aberdeen].

Original, unpublished and meaningful letter by British official and Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, Sir Robert William Hay, addressed with urgency to former secret agent in Spain and Portugal, Sir Charles Stuart de Rothesay, Scottish nobleman, and English ambassador to France (1815-1830); alerting Ambassador Charles Stuart of Hay’s arrival in Paris and his wish to ask him if he has “anything to communicate to me in regard to that Royal [Baron] Rousseau, The Barbary Consul”. Hay is in this letter preparing Stuart in order to investigate the situation around the death of explorer Alexander Gordon Laing in Africa. Under-Secretary for the Colonies, Sir R[obert] W.Hay, who had been informed about the situation around Laing’s missing Journals per private letter from the British Consul in Tripoli, Hanmer Warrington, announces his arrival in Paris to protest to the French government and advices ambassador Stuart:″I conclude that he [Baron Jean-Baptiste Rousseau] is by this time out of guarantiae, but I hope that by ensuing at Paris he will only get out of the frying Pan with the fire”. Hay continues: “I hope you will go with me (in case it be necessary) to the Minister, whoever he may be, in [?] Departement this ….were incredibly false for it. The French Govt. are really disposed & prosecute the Enquiry bon a fide. I think that same may acq…[….]…..on the other hand, if the French Govt. do not enter into y. enquiry with a good spirit, it will be in Rousseau’s …..to baffle me with the utmost facility in all our attempts to get at the truth. I spoke to Lord Aberdeen [George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen, Foreign Secretary for Prime Minister Wellington] on the day I left London, & he gave me full permission to conduct measures with you for the …of this affair. Yours very truly R.W.Hay”.

[London], [1829]. 5 octavo – pages on 2 sheets, folded. Excellent condition. Signed by Hay and dated probably “Monday, 19 Oct. [1829]”.

Wilkes, John / Bingley, William.

The North Briton – Revised and Corrected by the Author. Illustrated with Explanatory Notes and A Copious Index of Names and Characters. In Two Volumes (Revised Edition of Volumes I and II – Containing: No. 1 – No.45 – Published London, 1766) / [Plus: The North Briton – Volumes III – Printed for E. Sumpter, London and Dublin, 1763 (Containing No.46 from May 28, 1763 – No.68 on October 27th, 1763) & The North Briton – Volume IV – Printed for W[illiam] Bingley, London and Dublin, 1769 (No.46 from November the 12th, 1763 – No. 66 (or XX (20) of the Continuation) from September 17, 1768].

Mixed Editions bound uniformly [First Edition and Corrected Editions together]. Four Volumes (Bound in Three). London and Dublin, E.Sumpter & Anonymously, 1763 – 1769 Octavo (10 cm x 16,5 cm). Pagination: Volume I and II: 269, [5] pages including Index with two title-pages but continued pagination / Volume III: 216 pages / Volume IV: 288 pages. Hardcover / Original 18th century leather with gilt numbering on spine and new spine-labels , created to style of the 18th-century. Excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. From the library of Edward Supple, [most likely the Edward Supple from Supple’s Court, Castlemartyr, County Cork], with his name to titlepages. A very rare set !

Gilpin, William. [Castle-Freke Library Bookplates]

Collection of four Volumes (bound in two) by Gilpin – All from the historical library at Castle Freke (Castlefreke, West Cork / Ireland). The Volumes include: I. & II. Observations Relative Chiefly to Picturesque Beauty, Made in the Year 1776, on Several Parts of Great Britain; particularly the High-Lands of Scotland. [Second Edition, with an “Account of the Prints” bound to the rear] / III. Observations on the River Wye and several Parts of South Wales &c. relative chiefly to Picturesque Beauty; Made in the summer of the Year 1770 (Third Edition). / IV. An Essay on Prints – [″The chief intention of the following work was to put the elegant amusement of collecting prints, on a more rational footing; by giving the unexperienced collector a few principles and cautions to assist him”] (Fourth Edition with the printed dedication “To the Honorable Horace Walpole in Deference to his Taste in the Polite Arts; and the Valuable Researches he has made to improve them; the following work is inscribed by his most obedient and very humble servant, William Gilpin”). [Volumes I & II with 40 original illustrations and vintage 18th century maps [correctly 39 illustrations and one table], for example of Loch Lomond and the Firth of Forth/ all illustrations are vintage mezzotint-plates].

Mixed Editions. Four Volumes (bound in two). London, Printed for R. Blamire, Strand, 1792. Octavo. Pagination: Volume I: XI, [1], 221 pages with 24 mezzotints / Volume II: 195, XVI pages with 16 mezzotints and an “Account of the Prints” as well as “Translations of Latin Passages” / [Volume III]: [River Wye]: XVI, 152 pages with 16 (of 17) full – page mezzotints / [Volume IV]: [An Essay on Prints]: XIII, [3], 174 pages plus XI pages Index and 1 page Errata. Hardcover / Early 19th century quarter – morocco with gilt lettering and ornament on spine. Both volumes bound in unison. Very good + condition with only minor signs of external wear. Pages 185 – 191 of Volume I with some stronger browning. Otherwise the interior very clean. All mezzotints in very good or even better condition. This is the original copy from the historical Castle-Freke Library in West Cork (Ireland), with two armorial bookplates to front and rear pastedown with the family’s motto ‘Pro Patria’. With two pages of manuscript annotations by a contemporary hand with a reference between the common name “Tarbet” in Scotland and a place-name in County Kerry in Ireland” (pages 13 of Volume II) / another entry is on page 12 of Volume II regarding the name-sake “Loch-Loung” for a Lake of ships in Scotland and Ireland.

Handcoloured Map Art of 18th century Scotland – [Millar, William] / [Grant, John] / [Leslie, William] Forsyth, Isaac / [Hugh Houstoun].

A Survey of the Province of Moray; Historical, Geographical, and Political. [Inscribed and dedicated by scottish Mapmaker William Millar / Including the amazing, large Map of Moray and the Nairn Shires by William Millar (51 cm x 49 cm) and the engraving of “Elgin Cathedral” (also by William Millar)].

First Edition. Aberdeen, Printed for Isaac Forsyth, Bookseller, Elgin, 1798. Octavo (14 cm x 21,5 cm). Folded, hand-coloured Frontispiece-Map by William Millar, Frotispiece-Engraving of the “Elgin Cathedral” , VIII, 353 pages. Original Hardcover / Original 18th or early 19th century leather with original spinelabel. The large, hand-coloured Map with a minor tear only. Corners slightly bumped. Spine slightly starting but overall in excellent condition with some minor signs of wear only. Interesting Provenance and signed manuscript dedication by the Cartographer and Mapmaker William Millar: From the library of Aberdeen Highlander, Major Hugh Houstoun, with a dedication: “April 27th, 1798 – To Major Hugh Houstoun – from his Much obliged and Humble Servant William Millar”.

[Scotland / England – 19th Century Tourism].

Vintage 19th-century Photoalbum with fiftythree (53) Albumen Prints of tourist destinations visited in the year 1882 in Scotland and England. The Album shows with visits to Edinburgh, Loch Lomond and its “S.S.Rob Roy – Steamboat with Pier and Ben Venu, Loch Katrine, Callander Bridge and Ben Ledi, The Trossachs, then moves to Hastings and later to Cambridge and Oxford (including Magdalen College). Fantastic Album which also shows one magnificent photograph of Stonehenge and one of “The Major Oak” in Sherwood Forest in the year 1885.

Scotland / England, 1882-1885. Quarto. 53 photographs on original boards. Original Hardcover. Very good condition with only minor signs of external wear. Some minor signs of foxing only.

Robison, John.

Proofs of a Conspiracy against all the Religions and Governments of Europe, Carried on in the Secret Meetings of Free Masons, Illuminati and Reading Societies. Collected from good authorities by John Robison, A.M. – Professor of Natural Philosophy and Secretary to the Royal Society in Edinburgh. [With the printed dedication to William Wyndham].

The Fourth Edition, corrected; to which is added a Postscript. Dublin, Printed by W.Watson and Son, 1798. Large Octavo (14 cm x 21.5 cm). [2], 531 pages (incl. Postscript). Hardcover / Stunning, recent half leather and marbled-paper-covered-boards with gilt lettering and ornament to spine, bound to style of the 18th/19th century. Tear to page 9 (!). Otherwise in unusually excellent condition besides some mild browning (very occasionally only). From the library of Richard Meade (Ballymartle), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown and name in ink on titlepage. Extremely scarce publication on Illuminati and freemasonry by the first general secretary to the Royal Society of Edinburgh (1783-1798). Extremely rare in any edition; nearly impossible to find in this condition !

[Trevor, Edward / Kilmainhaim Gaol (Jail)] / [Anonymous (attributed to Sanders, Robert)].

The Roman History, In a Series of Letters from a Nobleman to his Son. [Personal copy of Edward Trevor, with the signed autographed name and original bookplate / Exlibris of this infamous medical inspector of convicts in Kilmainham Jail and later in Cork supervisor of Convict – departure to Australia].

First Irish Edition. Two Volumes (complete set). Dublin, Printed for J.Williams, 1775. Small-Octavo (11,5 cm x 17 cm). IV, 300, 262 pages. Original Hardcover with original spine-labels. In protective Mylar. New endpaper to Volume I. Minor wormhole-damage to pastedown and a few pages only. Binding slightly rubbed but firm and strong. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. This set, with the exceptionally interesting provenance, does not only contain Trevor’s signature but also his bookplate and some doodling of a portrait of an 18th or 19th century figurehead.

Sinclair, John.

The Statistical Account of Scotland. Drawn up from the Communications of the ministers of the Different Parishes. Collection of five Volumes including Volumes 7 (1793), 8 (1793), 10 (1794), 11 (1794) and 19 (1797). Including the County of Fife, County of Ayr, Syno of Glasgow etc.

Original Edition. 5 Volumes. Edinburgh, William Creech, 1793 – 1797. Octavo. Collation: Volume 7: VI, 625 pages / Volume 8: (3), 650 pages / Volume 10: VIII, 637 pages / Volume 11: (4), 627 pages / Volume 19: VI, 631 pages. Illustrated with maps and illustrations ! Modern Hardcover (half cloth with marbled-paper covered boards. New endpapers. Excellent recent Masterbindings). Excellent condition of all five Volumes. Paper and illustrations in wonderful condition.

[Scott, Sir Walter].

Novels and Tales of The Author of Waverley (12 Volumes) / Novels and Romances of The Author of Waverley (7 Volumes) / Historical Romances of The Author of Waverley (6 Volumes).

The Third Edition. 25 Volumes. Edinburgh, Printed for Archibald Constable, 1822. Octavo (14 cm x 21,5 cm). c. 12000 pages including 25 Vignettes of Historical Illustration in steel-engravings on each titlepage by W. Archibald after Alexander Nasmyth. Hardcover . Original, very decorative half – leather with gilt lettering on spine and original spine-labels. All Volumes from the library of a “Robert Barker”, with his Exlibris. Minor signs of wear only. All Volumes with some slight foxing and very few with a faded dampstain but all Volumes also firm and in very good or even better condition with some minor signs of wear only. Excellent paper and typography. A wonderful reading experience of classics like Ivanhoe.

Campbell, John.

Lives of the Admirals, And other eminent British Seamen; containing Their Personal Histories, and a Detail of all their Public Services. Including A new and accurate Naval History, from the earliest Account of Time; and clearly proving by a continued Series of Facts, our uninterrupted Claim to, and Enjoyment of, the Dominion of our Seas. Interspersed With many curious Passages, relating to our Discoveries, Plantations and Commerce. Supported throughout by proper Authorities.

The Third Edition. In Four Volumes (complete set). London, Printed for T.Osborne, C.Hitch and L.Hawes, H.Woodfall, J.Rivington and others, 1761. Octavo (13.5 cm x 20.5 cm). Pagination [see full list of maps and portraits below the description]: Volume I: 587 pages with one folded map and two portraits / Volume II: 580 pages with one folded map and two portraits / Volume III: 488 pages with two fold-out maps / Volume IV: 519 pages with two fold-out maps. Hardcover / Original 18th century – calf with gilt ornament and original spine-labels [of which one spine-label has been recently replaced in matching style]. Bindings all firm and with only minor signs of wear and bunping to top and bottom of spine’s. Interior, Maps and Portraits all in excellent condition. Very inor, faded dampstain to the outer margins of some pages of Volume III. From the library of Daniel Conner (Connerville / Manch House), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown.