“Your destruction is inevitable...” – British Plea for Peace at the threshold of the American Revolution

[Dalrymple, John]. The Address Of the People Of Great-Britain To The Inhabitants Of America. London: Printed For T.Cadell, 1775.

ESTC T20380 - In this edition the press figure on p. 28 is 5 and the footnote on p. 49 comprises one line only. Gephart, Revolutionary America, 3182; Howes D36; Howes Final (1994) D37; Sabin 400 [Anonymous] and 18346 [Dalrymple]

Pagination: [2], 60 p.; Signatures: [A]¹ B-H⁴ I² (missing the half-title page at the beginning); Size: 8"-9" - Octavo (8vo).

Very Good+ copy of a pamphlet appealing to the colonies to move to reduce the tensions with the mother country on the eve of the American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson’s copy of the same edition of this pamphlet is now in the Thomas Jefferson Library Collection of the Library of Congress.

Removed from the original printed wrapper and rebound in plain paper wrapper. Attribution to Dalrymple written in pencil on the front of the wrapper, at the top of title page and top of the blank verso of the title page.

According to a contemporary notice published in Monthly Review, “This address is said and believed to have been written by Sir J.D., and printed at the public expense, to be distributed in America, where the greatest part of a large impression has been sent apparently to co-operate with a late conciliatory resolution of the House of Commons” (quoted by Sabin 400 and, in part, by Gephart 3182).

Writing in response to the address of the Continental Congress issued in October of 1774, Dalrymple attempts to persuade the Colonists they lack the resources or trained troops to be able to succeed in any revolt against Great Britain. In arguing that the colonies possess none of the attributes needed to succeed, the author wrote, “Your Destruction is inevitable. No country and people were ever so peculiarly ill-suited and circumstanced for a war with us, as you are at this instant” (p. 4).

Sir John Dalrymple (1726-1810) was a Scottish lawyer and historian who was an early protégé of Lord Kames, associated with Lord North and “a member of a circle which included David Hume and Adam Smith” (Oxford DNB).

Shipped Weight: 0 lbs 3 oz.

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Inventory No: 1231.