"CAUGHT BETWEEN THE KING OF FRANCE AND A QUAKER, LIKE THE MARINERS OF OLD BETWEEN SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS"
(SHEBBEARE, John). A Fourth Letter to the People of England. On the Conduct of the M—rs in Alliances, Fleets and Armies, since the First Differences on the Ohio, to the taking of Minorca by the French. London: M. Collier, 1756. Octavo, period-style half black morocco, raised bands, red leather spine label. $1600.
Early printing of a fiery attack on the British administration's conduct of affairs in Europe and America during the Seven Years' War.
John Shebbeare (1709-1788) was a physician and author known for his incendiary political writing, particularly in his series of pamphlets Letters to the People of England, the first of which appeared in 1755. "During the Seven Years' War, Shebbeare's Letters to the People of England were widely read and politically influential. His emotionally charged, powerfully written patriot rhetoric contributed to the development of political discontent with the Newcastle ministry after the fall of Minorca, and encouraged the extra-parliamentary protests which helped to bring about its collapse in November 1756." This Fourth Letter "formulated a scathing review of the Newcastle administration's European diplomacy and conduct of the war in North America" (DNB).
Several variant printings appeared in the same year; the publication date here is given in Roman numerals and the text ends on p. 49. ESTC suggests that this example may be an early Scottish pirated edition.
Sabin 80047. Howes S368. ESTC N18706. Title page with inked annotations; some of the redacted letters indicated by dashes in the text have been added in ink.
Minor spotting. A handsomely bound copy of this scarce item.