1713 The Character of Richard St-le Esq; With some Remarks By Toby, Abel's Kinsman; or, According to Mr. Calamy, A.F. & N. In A Letter to his Godfather. The Second Edition Corrected.

Description

Leather Binding, Signed Binding

A character analysis and attack of the politician Richard Steele. Written under the pseudonym 'Toby', the work was in fact by the British physcian, William Wagstaffe. With a portrait frontispiece of Wagstaffe, captioned 'Mr Toby'. Wagstaffe notes that 'Mr Steele, in short, has neither an head, nor a style for politicks; there is no one political englishman but contains either some notorious blunder in his notions or his language; and he seems himself so well aware of this, that he is already run from his purpose..... If I might advise him,I should think it his best way to retire into Wales, and live upon his estate'. The Oxford DNB states that 'Wagstaffe had no personal enmity against Steele, whom he did not know by sight.' Therefore, this attack is aimed solely at the public figure of Steele, and his politics. Richard Steele was a member of the Whig party, as well as a writer and playwright. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Steele is also remembered as the co-founder of 'The Tatler' magazine. Previously part of the library of Robert A S Macfie, with his bookplate to the front pastedown, and ink inscription to the recto of front endpaper. Robert A S Macfie was a Scottish business man and a member of British parliament. A liberal MP he took a keen interest in Postal Reform. In a binding by Stoakley Late Hawes, with binder's stamp to the verso of front endpaper.