"A Manuscript"

1784 Hamilton, Mary, Lady (1739-1816). “A Manuscript.” 50 pp. This is the title at the beginning of the text. The first leaf of the manuscript reads “Manuscript 1784/By Walker/Bolton Street Piccadilly.” Ms. James Marshall and Marie-Louise Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, CtY

Satire in which the protagonist travels by balloon to a planet inhabited by giants. There she meets the planet’s Royal Academy and its Chief Minister, who is modelled on William Pitt, the Younger (1759-1806), Prime Minister (1783-1801, 1804-06). Most of the text is a commentary on the politics of the planet as a way of commenting on contemporary British politics. On the spine of the bound manuscript, the author is given as Lady Mary Walker, and in 1784 she was married to but separated from George Walker. The female author was born in Scotland but lived much of her life in France. The dates given for the author are the standard dates found in reference books, but Wikipedia gives May 8, 1736 - February 29, 1821. Her papers are held at the Beinecke Library, Yale University.