GALT JOHN: (1779-1839) Scottish novelist, entrepreneur, and political and social commentator. ...

GALT JOHN: (1779-1839) Scottish novelist, entrepreneur, and political and social commentator. Galt has been described as the first political novelist in the English language, owing to being the first novelist to deal with issues of the Industrial Revolution. Concluding section of an A.L.S., J Galt, two pages, oblong 8vo, London, 11th May 1832 (as per a small 12mo piece, presumably excised from the same letter, and now neatly laid down to the lower left corner of the recto). The recto and verso of the fragment comprise approximately twenty complete lines of text and states, in part (recto) ´....but the moment I am in cash which will be the first payment the company makes you will be reimbursed with all expenses.....Our bargain with Government is made but the agreement is not yet signed and Dr. Howick with whom it lies is afraid in the state of things to do any thing. I am in hopes however he will yet go over the agreement with me......' continuing (verso) ´We are in a queer political state. The latest news, & I had it half an hour ago at the Treasury is that the Duke of Wellington goes to the horse guards, A Baring to be Chancellor of the Exchequer, Peel, Home Sec[retar]y, & the Speaker of the House of Commons is to have something but at this moment.......nothing has been definitively fixed......´Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG

Galt´s text is written during the ´Days of May´, a period of significant social unrest and political tension in the United Kingdom, and just a little under a month before the Reform Act (greatly opposed by the Duke of Wellington) became law on 7th June 1832.