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Volume I: A Journey Through England in Familiar Letters from a Gentleman Here to His Friend Abroad. [John Macky.] The Third Edition, Improv d. London: J. Hooke, at the Flower de Luce, over against St. Dunstan s Church in Fleet-Street. 1723. 300 p. + xxxviii index. 7.75 x 5 , 8vo. Volume II: A Journey Through England in Familiar Letters from a Gentleman Here to His Friend Abroad. [John Macky.] London: J. Pemberton, at the Buck and Sun against St. Dunstan s Church in Fleet Street. 1722. First Edition. 239 p. + xxx index. 7.75 x 5 , 8vo. In poor condition. As is. Front boards of both volumes detached from binding; both front end-pages detached; title page of Vol. I detached. Leather boards scuffed at edges and worn/bumped at corners. Heads and tails of spines lacking (including headbands); title & volume labels lacking. Gilt bordering around boards scuffed & soiled. Vol. I exhibits ink marginalia on front paste-down, as well as previous ownership bookplate: William Dick of Prestonfield Bar. Another ownership bookplate found on front end-page: Martie of Dreghorn. Normal toning throughout text-blocks, with some instances of finger-soiling or sparse age-staining. Rear boards attached by cording only, fragile. Bindings are fragile and in need of repair. Perfect candidate for restoration. Please see photos and ask questions, if any, before purchasing. John Macky (died 1726) was a Scottish spy and travel writer. Between 1688 and 1710 he ran a successful intelligence gathering network across the English Channel, principally concerned with Jacobite and French threats to England. He was also the author of several publications which reflected his travel, political outlook and access to leading figures of the period. Nothing is known of Macky's parentage or early life. Following the Glorious Revolution of 1688, Macky was sent to France by the English government to provide information about Jacobite activity. He successfully infiltrated the Jacobite court at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. In 1692, he was the first person to inform the authorities of the exiled James II's intended invasion of England after the former king had fled to France from England. In October 1693 he was made inspector of the coast from Harwich to Dover, tasked with intercepting hostile communications and intelligence. With the re-establishment of postal services to France following the Peace of Ryswick, on 1 January 1698 Macky was placed in charge of the packet boats and royal express service from Dover to Calais, Ostend, and Nieuwpoort. Macky turned to travel writing, producing his first volume in 1714. This was frequently reprinted, and was followed by a second volume in 1722, a third in 1723 and a fourth in 1725. The writings established for Macky a minor literary reputation, although he was best known to contemporaries for his writings on the English and French courts. In 1722 he was sent to a debtors' prison, but was soon released on the orders of the Earl of Sunderland. Between 1723 and 1725 he briefly resumed his career in espionage in the wake of the Atterbury Plot. He died in Rotterdam in 1726. RAREB1723EMNA FORN-SHELF-0461-BB-2409-HKREV22. Seller Inventory # FORN-SHELF-0461-BB-2409-HKREV22
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