Substantial collection of articles (mainly to the 'Glasgow Argus' and 'Wigtownshire Free Press') and other writing by William Durrant Cooper (1812-1875), antiquary, mainly political and much of it anonymous, collected by Durrant himself.
4to, 194 pp. (paginated by Cooper). In original calf half-binding, with marbled boards and endpapers. All texts clear and complete. On aged paper chipped at extremities, and coming away from binding, which has been covered in plastic. With Durrant's armorial bookplate, and signed 'Wm Durrant Cooper' on first page. In addition to the numerous contributions on political matters (including the Income Tax) to the 'Glasgow Argus' and 'Wigtownshire Free Press', as well as other journals including the 'Morning Chronicle', the 'Table of Contents' by Durrant lists twelve reviews, two speeches and a 'theatrical critique'. Tipped in before the first page are the wraps of 'Facts and Figures, A Periodical Record of Statistics Applied to Current Questions', No. V., 1 February 1842, signed by Durrant, and enclosing his essay from that issue (as 'W. D. C.'), on 'Density of population', with a few of the figures corrected in his autograph. In 1837 Durrant joined the parliamentary staff of the 'Morning Chronicle', but the New Dictionary of National Biography does not mention his connection with the two Scottish newspapers. Durrant's authorship of the items assembled here is presumably unknown.