Memorialls for the Government of the Royall-Burghs in Scotland..

1685. Aberdeen: Printed by John Forbes, 1685. Aberdeen: Printed by John Forbes, 1685. Handbook for Inexperienced Officials in Scotland [Skene, Alexander (c. 1621-1694)]. Memorialls for the Government of the Royall-Burghs in Scotland. With Some Overtures Laid Before the Nobility and Gentry of the Several Shyres in this Kingdom. As also, A Survey of the City of Aberdeen, With the Epigrams of Arthur Iohnstoun Doctor of Medicin, Upon Some of Our Chief Burghs Translated into English by I.B. By Philopoliteious (Or,) A Lover of the Publick Well-Fare. Aberdeen: Printed by John Forbes, 1685. 288 pp. A Succinct Survey of the Famous City of Aberdeen has separate dated title page (p. 199). Octavo (5-1/2" x 3-1/2"; 14 x 8.9 cm). Later period-style polished calf, blind rules to boards, raised bands and gilt title and date to spine, endpapers renewed, all edges gilt. A few minor nicks to boards, some fading to spine, recent owner bookplate (of James Stevens Cox) to front pastedown. Moderate toning, somewhat heavier in places, faint dampstaining to lower corners of some leaves, edges trimmed with minor loss to page numbers of a few leaves, light soiling to title page, early owner manuscript annotations to rear endleaf. A handsome copy. $500. * Only edition. Written by a seasoned politician and state official, this work provides a systematic description of the political, legislative and bureaucratic organizations of the Scottish burghs was intended for inexperienced government officials. A prescriptive work as well, it offers opinions on such matters as trade, the establishment of public libraries and ways to instill civic values in young people. It also includes a collection of celebratory poems in Latin and English about Edinburgh, St. Andrews, Inverness, Perth and other cities and towns in Scotland. This copy was once in the library of the distinguished bibliophile, publisher, and antiquarian scholar James Stevens Cox (1910-1997). English Short-Title Catalogue R38926.