Books

The British Merchant; or, Commerce Preserv'd. In three volumes. London: John Darby, 1721. Full Description: KING, Charles. The British Merchant; or, Commerce Preserv'd. In three volumes. London: John Darby, 1721. First collected edition. Originally distributed as a periodical published in 1713-1714. Three octavo volume (8 3/4 x 5 3/4 inches; 221 x 136 mm). liv, 378; vi, 443, [1, blank]; [2], vi, 3-382, [36, index] pp. With engraved head and tail pieces and initials. With "List of Subscribers" and two folding charts in volume I. Leaf A1 of volume III not issued [?] as we could find no other copies with it either. Contemporary paneled calf. Boards ruled and stamped in blind. Spines with brown calf spine labels, lettered in gilt. Top edges dyed brown, others speckled red. Front outer hinge of volume II cracked but holding firm. Hinges of other two volumes starting. Corners a bit bumped, especially volume II. Some minor worming to inner margin of volume II, only occasionally touching a letter. All three volumes with "Cornwell House" stamp on front free endpaper. Overall a very good copy. Charles King was a "merchant and writer on economics, was a significant contributor to the British Merchant, a periodical which appeared twice weekly during the hotly debated negotiations towards a commercial treaty with France following the close of the War of the Spanish Succession in summer 1713. The British Merchant was one of a number of periodicals and a rash of pamphlets that followed news of the eighth and ninth, commercial, articles of the treaty of Utrecht, which opened the possibility of a new, less restrictive, trading agreement with France. A consequence of the treaty, if passed by parliament, would be the repeal of a number of laws laying high duties on French imports. Tory sentiment in favour of the eighth and ninth articles was effectively propagandized by the Mercator, a paper funded by Viscount Bolingbroke and largely written by Daniel Defoe. It argued that a ready market existed for British goods in France, despite legal prohibitions on trade that had been established in wartime, and that Britain would be a net gainer from any trade with France. The Dutch and Italians, it was argued, imported British goods, then re-exported these to France at a considerable gain, and a net loss to British producers and shipping." (Dictionary of National Biography). Einaudi. ESTC T99984. Goldsmiths' 5943. Kress 3389. Sabin 37783 (about second edition). HBS 68893. $7,500.