THE HIBERNIAN PATRIOT: BEING A COLLECTION OF THE DRAPIER’S LETTERS TO THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND, CONCERNING MR. WOOD’S BRASS HALF-PENCE. TOGETHER WITH CONSIDERATIONS ON THE ATTEMPTS MADE TO PASS THAT COIN. AND REASONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF IRELAND’S REFUSING IT...
London: 1730. Second collected edition. Printed at Dublin. Reprinted and Sold by A. Moor in St. Paul’s Church-yard, and the Booksellers of London and Westminster. 8vo [19.5 by 13.5 cm], contemporary full brown calf, sides bordered in blind with crenulated Cambridge panels with floral sprays at corners; professionally rebacked; spine with five raised bands, ruled in gilt; new red leather spine labels, gilt. (8), 264 pages, woodcut headpieces, tailpieces and initials. Original board edges worn; attractively rebacked, retaining the original endpapers, now reinforced. Contents generally very good, with some wear and marginal discoloration to leaves at beginning and end. Very good or better. Item #5923
The earliest collectible edition of Jonathan Swift’s famous satirical denunciation of the Hibernia coinage of William Wood. Nelson pages 12 & 13: “Wood’s coinage for Ireland never appears to have been popular, and ... he is reported to have said ‘that he would cram his brass down their (the Irish) throats in spite of them.’ Shortly after this appeared the first of a series of seven letters, the author of which was Jonathan Swift, D.D., Dean of St. Patrick’s, and since they were signed M.B. Drapier, became known as Drapier’s letters... The first letter made its appearance April, 1724, and produced a tremendous sensation... By such means as this was the prospect of a successful future for this coinage done away with...” Rejected in Ireland, Wood’s coinage found its way to the American colonies, where small change was desperately needed, and they found a ready circulation. Swift’s volume is of considerable importance; this is the earliest edition generally encountered, with the first being almost unobtainable. Goldsmith 6798. Kress 3901.
Price: $1,600.00