A Tour through some of the Islands of Orkney and Shetland, with a view chiefly to objects of Natural History, but including also occasional remarks on the state of the inhabitants, their husbandry, and fisheries.

Edinburgh, London: A Constable and Company, and John Murray, 1806 A very good copy of Patrick Neill's description of his tour in Orkney and Shetland in probably contemporary half leather binding. Patrick Neill (1776-1851) was a printer who became particularly known for his 'interests' in botany and horticulture. He was a founding Member and first Secretary of the Wernerian Natural History Society. He visited Orkney and Shetland in 1804/5 and his account was initially published in parts through The Scots Magazine. He was appalled by the miserable conditions experienced by ordinary people on the islands and he started a lively debate on the issue. In the preface of the whole work, published 1806, he states 'it was almost impossible not to take some notice of the state of the inhabitants of the islands. The freedom of my remarks however, on the unfortunate condition of the common people in Shetland, has brought upon me the censure of some of the landholders, which they have, very unnecessarily vented in unmeaning scurrility through the medium of the newspapers and of Grub-street pamphlets......The mere republication of the whole tour will, to the Public in general, be sufficient for my vindication'. The binding has a flat spine with ruled gilt lines and part of the title in gilt down the spine. Boards are marbled. There is some scuffing with surface loss to spine ends and a little scuffing to spine joints and corners. The marbled sides have some scuffing to edges. Page edges are marbled. Contents: initial blank; title (with old signature, crossed out, at the top and faint ink smear in the gutter); preface 4pp; contents 3pp; text pp 1-113; appendices - answers to strictures, mineralogy, additional orkney plants, birds of orkney, agricultural society of orkney, timber, herrings, whales; postscript; finis p239. Contents in very good clean condition with the odd spot or mark. The paper used has an occasional light fleck.