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STEELE, Sir Richard. The Crisis: or, a Discourse. London: Sam. Buckley, 1713.
3 works in one volume, 4° (225 x 170 mm). 1p. printer’s advertisement, woodcut ornaments. (A few leaves lightly spotted, B2 with paper flaw touching a few letters.) 18th-century calf-backed blue-grey boards, spine gilt-ruled, brown morocco lettering-piece gilt (some light rubbing or staining, joints starting); brown morocco pull-off case by Mountenay. Provenance: Harold Greenhill (1893-1968) Chicago book collector (bookplate); H. Bradley Martin (1906-1988) New York book collector (bookplate; his sale, Sotheby’s New York, 1 may 1990, lot 3228).
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE of Steele’s pamphlet addressing the crisis of the royal succession. With Queen Anne’s health failing, the Whigs were concerned that the Catholic Pretender would be introduced on her death. On the publication of the pamphlet, the Tories responded that there was no crisis, and argued that his allegations were seditious. “In retrospect, [The Crisis’] importance may be seen as a landmark, the earliest use of mass printing, advertising, and distribution techniques in a political context. Steele lent his encyclopaedic knowledge of printing and distribution to the Whig cause…here devoted to political rather than literary ends” (DNB). The publication of this pamphlet, written in support of the Hanoverian succession, led to Steele’s expulsion from the House of Commons on 18 March 1714. Swift issued a reply on behalf of the Tories entitled The Publick Spirit of the Whigs (see lot 185). In the work, Swift denies that the Hanoverian succession is in danger at all, and he argues that Steele’s doubts do, in fact, constitute an act of sedition.
RARE: according to American Book Prices Current, this is the only copy which has appeared on the market in the last 35 years: last sold 1 May 1990, Sotheby’s New York, lot 3228; a manuscript note on the pastedown describes this issue as “excessively rare” and notes “this has affirmatively never appeared at auction in either England or America, all recorded copies sold to date (1941) bearing the later date on the title-page, 1714.” Ashley V, p.201; ESTC T34401; Rothschild 1949.
[Bound with:] A Complete Account of the Ceremonies observed in the Coronations of the Kings and Queens of England. London: for J. Roberts, 1727. Folding plate (cut across image with small loss), numerous in-text illustrations. Reissue of the first edition. ESTC T139808. – MIDDLETON, Conyers. A Letter from Rome, Shewing an Exact Conformity between Popery and Paganism. London: for W. Innys, 1729. (Dampstain at head of some leaves.) Second edition. ESTC T37920.
3 works in one volume, 4° (225 x 170 mm). 1p. printer’s advertisement, woodcut ornaments. (A few leaves lightly spotted, B2 with paper flaw touching a few letters.) 18th-century calf-backed blue-grey boards, spine gilt-ruled, brown morocco lettering-piece gilt (some light rubbing or staining, joints starting); brown morocco pull-off case by Mountenay. Provenance: Harold Greenhill (1893-1968) Chicago book collector (bookplate); H. Bradley Martin (1906-1988) New York book collector (bookplate; his sale, Sotheby’s New York, 1 may 1990, lot 3228).
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE of Steele’s pamphlet addressing the crisis of the royal succession. With Queen Anne’s health failing, the Whigs were concerned that the Catholic Pretender would be introduced on her death. On the publication of the pamphlet, the Tories responded that there was no crisis, and argued that his allegations were seditious. “In retrospect, [The Crisis’] importance may be seen as a landmark, the earliest use of mass printing, advertising, and distribution techniques in a political context. Steele lent his encyclopaedic knowledge of printing and distribution to the Whig cause…here devoted to political rather than literary ends” (DNB). The publication of this pamphlet, written in support of the Hanoverian succession, led to Steele’s expulsion from the House of Commons on 18 March 1714. Swift issued a reply on behalf of the Tories entitled The Publick Spirit of the Whigs (see lot 185). In the work, Swift denies that the Hanoverian succession is in danger at all, and he argues that Steele’s doubts do, in fact, constitute an act of sedition.
RARE: according to American Book Prices Current, this is the only copy which has appeared on the market in the last 35 years: last sold 1 May 1990, Sotheby’s New York, lot 3228; a manuscript note on the pastedown describes this issue as “excessively rare” and notes “this has affirmatively never appeared at auction in either England or America, all recorded copies sold to date (1941) bearing the later date on the title-page, 1714.” Ashley V, p.201; ESTC T34401; Rothschild 1949.
[Bound with:] A Complete Account of the Ceremonies observed in the Coronations of the Kings and Queens of England. London: for J. Roberts, 1727. Folding plate (cut across image with small loss), numerous in-text illustrations. Reissue of the first edition. ESTC T139808. – MIDDLETON, Conyers. A Letter from Rome, Shewing an Exact Conformity between Popery and Paganism. London: for W. Innys, 1729. (Dampstain at head of some leaves.) Second edition. ESTC T37920.