[Rarebooks] Offering: A DESCRIPTION OF THE WESTERN ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND, 1716

[Michael John Thompson]

MARTIN M[artin] (Màrtainn MacGille Mhàrtainn).

A DESCRIPTION OF THE WESTERN ISLANDS OF SCOTLAND. 
Containing A Full Account of their Situation, 
Extent, Soils, Product, Harbours, Bays , Tides, 
Anchoring-Places, and Fisheries. The Ancient and 
Modern Government, Religion,  and Customs of the 
Inhabitants; particularly of their Druids, 
Heathen Temples, Monasteries, Churches, Chappels, 
Antiquities, Monuments, Forts, Cave s, and other 
Curiosities of Art and Nature; Of their Admirable 
and Expedious Way of Curing most Diseases by 
Simples of their own Product. A Particular 
Account of the Second Sight, or faculty of 
Foreseeing things to come, by way of Vision, so 
common among them. A  Brief Hint of Methods to 
improve Trade in that Country, both by Sea and 
land. With a New Map of the Whole, describing the 
Harbours, Anchoring-Places, and dangerous Rocks, 
for the benefit of Sailors. To which is added, a 
Brief Description of the Isles of Orkney and Shetland.

Printed for Andrew Bell, at the Cross-Keys and 
Bible, in Cornhill; T. Varnam and J. Osborn in 
Lombard-street; W. Taylor at the Ship, and J. 
Baker and T. Warner at the Black Boy in 
Paternoster-Row. MDCCXVI (1716).

The Second (and Best) Edition, very much 
Corrected. Octavo. Contemporary paneled mottled 
calf binding, the spine with raised bands and 
elaborately decorated gilt in the compartments, 
contrasting leather label titled in gilt. 392 
pp., collated complete, with a large folding map 
of the Islands and an additional folding plate 
"The Form of Ye Heathern Temple". From the 
library of the Earls of Macclesfield removed from 
Shirburn Castle, with the large heraldic 
bookplate of the North Library on front 
paste-down and with the castle blind-stamps on 
first three leaves. Very slight crack near head 
of spine hinge on rear panel; a crisp, beautiful 
copy in a fine contemporary binding. ¶ The 
Scottish Gaelic Màrtainn MacGille Mhàrtainn 
visited  the Western Islands and St. Kilda in 
1697 and composed this work, first published in 
1703 and now here published in a much corrected 
and enlarged form. Both Samuel Johnson and James 
Boswell read his book and took a copy of it along 
with them on their famous tour of the Hebrides in 
1773. Martin was a native of the islands and a 
Gaelic speaker, he was therefore in a unique 
position to describe the early customs and 
beliefs of the islanders from the inside. Despite 
it's literary faults , it is a veritable goldmine 
of information and by far the most detailed early 
account of the islands. From the celebrated 
library of the Earls of Macclesfield at Shirburn
Castle, Oxfordshire, England, accumulated from 
the early 18th century by generations of the 
Parker family, and sold (over successive sales) 
by Sothebys. This book: The Library of the Earls 
of Macclesfield. Part XI, 3/13/2008, 625.00 
Pounds Sterling (plus commissions).


Offered here, net to all: $1,250.00 USD  Postpaid.


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Michael John Thompson
ABAC / ILAB
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Hornby Island, BC
Canada V0R 1Z0
250-335-1182

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