Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland. From the Dissolution of the last Parliament of Charles II. Until the Sea-battle Off La Hogue (Two Volumes)

London/Edinburgh: W.Strahan and T.Cadell; and A.Kincaid and J.Bell and J. Balfour, 1771. The 4th Baronet Sir John Dalrymple ((1726-1810) was a Scottish advocate and a co-founder of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. A friend of David Hume and Adam Smith; nonetheless Hume was dismissive of his research. Another assessment: "The appendixes to his chapters contain a mass of previously unpublished political correspondence of first-rate importance on which he based his work. His first volume caused much stir for it revealed the extent to which English politics, in the reign of Charles II, had been influenced by French intrigues..." These are the two volumes of the Second Edition (stated). Although held by the better research libraries, this is not a common title in the Trade. Nicely bound in tree calf; ruled in gilt on the spine and covers. Five raised bands with red and black compartments, titled in gilt. Clean texts; Volume One (1771) is viii, 211 pages; Volume Two is xvi, 246 pages, with a page of Erratum/Addenda at the rear. Both are in Very Good (Plus) condition. Rubbed at the margins; some spotting throughout, but the text remains bright and clear. In a nice bit of symmetry there is a chip to the head of Volume One and to the foot of Volume Two. An interesting feature: the endpapers of Volume One are filled with extensive ink notations in an 18th-Century hand. Quercus has at this point been unable to decifer the notes, but shall work dilligently at translation as time permits. . Second Edition. Full-Leather. Very Good (Plus)/No Jacket. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall.