MOUNTAIN

1p., 8vo. Headed 'Copy' and with a Britannia watermark implying an official origin. On aged and worn paper with chipping and loss at head and tail. Reads: 'Monsieur | Le Comité de Montagnards d'Ecosse ayant deputé My Lord , Les Colls. Macdonall et Mackenham et Mr James Hamilton pour faire l'hommage a Sa M. Le Roi de France d'un exemplaire original des Poesies d'Ossian en langue celtique L'Ambassadeur d'Angleterre profitte de l'intervention de Mr. Le Premier Gentilhomme de la Chambre pour faire connaitre cette intention a Sa Majesté et prier S. Exce.

4pp., 4to. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. An important document, not least for the fact that its author discusses the building of a 'tunnel 4 or 5 miles through the [Hoosac] mountain', anticipating the commencement of the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel by 23 years. The letter is closely and neatly written, with the first page headed 'The following Results of my surveys and levels, in the valley of Deerfield River, are respectfully submitted to the Commissioners of Canals, in Massachusetts. | Viz.

12mo, 4 pp. 41 lines. Text clear and complete. Fair, on aged paper, with slight discoloration to edges. 'It was high time that in England, whence so many mountain climbers and tourists go to the Alps, a protest should be raised against the ruin wrought in Switzerland by the construction of tourist railways up the slopes of the mountains'. Deplores the 'irretrievable harm' already done to 'some of the noblest landscapes in the world, [...] easily accessible from the populous cities of Central and Western Europe, such as those on the shores of the Lake of Lucerne'.

12mo bifolium: 1 p. 11 lines of text. Address and docketing on second leaf. Good, but with 1 cm hole in first leaf of bifolium, possibly caused by breaking open of blue wafer, which still adheres. Hole causing loss to two words, including latter part of signature. Asks the recipient 'de remettre a Mr. Pousin conducteur des ponts et chaussees, un double demi metre en Cuivre et un metre en cuivre avec quatre petites roulettes pointilles'. He will pay for the order in a few days time.