(Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol). Two versions: (1) Aan het volk van Nederland

Without address but with "Oostende, den 3 September 1781" at the end, 76 p., contemp. marbled calf, both sides with gilt corner fleurons within decorative gilt border, gilt and ribbed spine w. mor. letterpiece, a.e.g.

Sl. foxed. Spine ends chipped, upper joint starting. From the library of Bob Luza, with his circular bookplate on inside front cover. Knuttel 19864; Knuttel, Verboden Boeken, no. 423. With the English translation: (2) An address to the people of the Netherlands, on the present alarming and most dangerous situation, of the Republick of Holland: showing the true motives of the most unpardonable delays of the executive power in putting the Republick into a proper state of defence, and the advantages of an alliance with Holland, France and America. By a Dutchman. Translated from the Dutch original [1]. London, printed for J. Stockdale, 1782, VI,137,(1) p., early 20th-century wr. Not in Sabin. The first English edition, censuring the conduct of stadtholder William V, for supposedly making a secret agreement which was likely to draw Holland into a war against France and America. Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol (1741-1784), Dutch nobleman, politician and a founder of the so-called "patriottenbeweging". He was a supporter of the American war of independence and critic of the Dutch political system and its regents. He is especially known for this particular pamphlet, which was distributed in all major Dutch towns in the night of 25 to 26 September 1781 and was immediately banned by the States of Holland. In the pamphlet, he attacked the position of the stadtholder (of the house of Orange-Nassau), which to his opinion had developed into a supreme power. He urged the citizens to recapture their lawful share in government. At the same time, the pamphlet is a vigorous plea for liberty of the press as the only support of national freedom. Prior to the publication of the pamphlet, Van der Capellen had already made himself conspicuous by publishing and advice (1775) against England's use of the Scottish Brigade in the American war of independence, for which a request had been submitted to the stadtholder by England's ambassador Yorke. The request was withdrawn, not so much because of the tenor of Van der Capellen's advice, but certainly because of the commotion it created. Van der Capellen did much to bend public opinion in favour of the Americans, whom he also supported financially. By his translation of Andrew Fletcher's 'A Discourse of Government, relating to militias' (1698), Van der Capellen raised denunciation of the prevailing system of hired armies, believing defence of one's country to be a civic duty. Coincidentally, in our auction 25 we sold a number of books from the magnificent library of Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun (1655-1716); see also the following lot and other lots in this action. (total 2)