TROTTER, John Bernard, Esq. Walks through Ireland, in the years 1812, 1814, and 1817; described in a Series of Letters to an English Gentleman.

London: Published by Sir Richard Phillips, 1819. First edition. Octavo. pp. xxxvi, 599, [1 (publisher’s list)]. Modern brown buckram, titled in gilt. Ex lib with neat stamp. Early owner’s signature of Thomas Jennings. A very good copy. Very rare.
John Bernard Trotter (1775-1818), author, was born in Downpatrick, County Down, the second son of the Revd Edward Trotter and Mary Dickson. He visited London in 1798, entering as a student at the Middle Temple, and during his stay he met Charles James Fox. Like Fox, Trotter opposed the proposed union of Ireland with England, and he sent Fox a pamphlet on the subject. The author became Fox’s private secretary after his appointment as foreign secretary on 7 February 1806 in the administration of ‘all the talents’. When Fox died in September 1806 Trotter was at his side. Afterwards he returned to Ireland and published this travel book. He travelled extensively throughout Ireland and this work has much detail largely descriptive with historic and economic commentary. There is reference to the 1817 fever outbreak and the extent to which Irish was spoken. This work, his last, was written when he was in his final illness and penniless.