An Account of the Trial of Thomas Muir, Esq. (2 works in 1 volume)
Edinburgh / London: Printed by J. Robertson and H.D. Symonds; and volume 2 printed for W. Skirving by J. Robertson, 1793. Hardcover. TWO WORKS IN ONE VOLUME. Robertson's Edition, containing 2 volumes within this one edition: "An Account of the Trial of Thomas Muir, Esq. Younger of Huntershill, before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh on the 30th and 31s days of August, 1793" with an appendix; and "The Trial of the Rev. Thomas Fyshe Palmer, Before the Circuit Court of Justiciary, Held at Perth, on the 12th and 13th September, 1793 on an Indictment for Seditious Practices", also with an appendix. Thomas Muir the Younger of Huntershill (1765 - 1799), was a Scottish political reformer and the first political prisoner transported to Australia. Muir was sentenced to 14 years transportation for the the crime of sedition; for campaigning for parliamentary reform and for distributing copies of Thomas Paine's 'The Rights of Man'. His trial became one of the great sensations of the day; he was one of the group known as the 'Scottish Martyrs', who were sentenced in Scotland in 1793-4. (Antipodean Books, Maps & Prints, ABAA); Thomas Fyshe Palmer (1747–1802) was an English Unitarian minister, political reformer and convict. When agitation for political reform began in 1792, Dundee became one of its centres in Scotland. A society called the 'Friends of Liberty' was formed in 1793. One evening in June 1793 Palmer attended a meeting, when George Mealmaker, weaver in Dundee, brought a draft of an address to the public which he purposed circulating as a handbill. Palmer revised it, modifying it to a complaint against the government for war taxation, and a claim for universal suffrage and short parliaments. The address was sent to be printed in Edinburgh in July 1793. The authorities were alarmed, and decided to meet an anticipated revolution in time; and, in the belief that they were attacking a revolutionary leader, Palmer was arrested in Edinburgh on 2 August on a charge of sedition as the author of the document. (Wikipedia) Hardcover in good condition. 8vo. Marbled blue, black, red and off-white paper boards show wear with tears and scuffs to the edges and parts of the cover. Most of the red has worn away. Quarter leather binding is also worn with rubbing and scratches and chips in the leather. Leather spine bears gilt bands and raised peach-color label with gilt lettering and decorative border. Ex-libre label at bottom of spine. Pages are yellowed with some foxing throughout. Bookworm tracks and tunnels are present from the front pastedown to page 12 of the first volume, and from page 155 through the back of the back paste-down of the second volume. Worm holes are burrowed through some of the words, but the content is still mostly understandable, except possibly for the last number of pages. Binding solid and pages are complete as no leaves are loose. Frontispiece is missing. There is a crack on the inner, front hinge, however, exposing the binding thread. Though secure, pages show the three specific indentations of where the thread binds the leaves to the spine, and can be seen plainly within the gutter. Some leaves bear minor creasing and staining, though the print remains legible. Volume 1 is 160 pages with appendix. Volume II is 195 pages, and also includes an appendix. There is also a small, hand-written note in ink, approximately 3.5" x 2.75" circa late 1700's believed to possibly be written in French, laid in. An intriguing piece of history. Full refund if not satisfied. Good.
8vo.
Item #065174
Price: $100.00 save 50% $50.00