A DEFENCE OF THE SCOTS SETTLEMENT AT DARIEN. WITH AN ANSWER TO THE SPANISH MEMORIAL AGAINST IT. AND ARGUMENTS TO PROVE THAT IT IS THE INTEREST OF ENGLAND TO JOIN WITH THE SCOTS, AND PROTECT IT. TO WHICH IS ADDED, A DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY, AND A PARTICULAR ACCOUNT OF THE SCOTS COLONY

Edinburgh, 1699.. [8],86,pp. Modern three-quarter speckled calf over marbled boards, gilt label. Light shelf wear. Text slightly toned, leaf C2 with two short tears, one just touching text, otherwise quite clean. Very good. The Scottish attempt to establish a colony in Panama, also known as the Darien scheme, proved to be a spectacular failure. Disease, poor planning, in-fighting, and opposition from Spain and England combined to ruin any hope of the venture's success, and of 2500 colonists, only a few hundred survived. This failure proved difficult for Scots at home as well; an enormous amount of the country's resources were poured into the project, and their financial and political position was greatly weakened, helping to enable Acts of Union of 1706 and 1707. The struggles and eventual failure of the colony were the subject of heated debate, and the present work is one of many that either attack or defend the venture. The main thrust made by the author, apparently Archibald Foyer, "according to a manuscript note in the librarian's copy of the Catalogue of the New College Library (Edin. 1868)," is for increased support from the English Crown, which was reluctant to provoke the Spanish by getting involved. Also included is a brief description of the flora, fauna, and indigenous peoples of the isthmus, mostly based on Lionel Wafer's account from 1681, along with a description of the status of the colony as of 1698, including details on Scottish and indigenous leaders. Although commonly attributed to Foyer, Sabin attributes this work to Whig journalist George Ridpath, Hill and European Americana to John Hamilton, Baron Belhaven, and still others to Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun. Whoever may have penned this defense, it was popular in its day, with four different printings appearing in 1699. A rebuttal to this work, presumably by Walter Harris ("Philo-Britan"), was printed later the same year. SCOTT, DARIEN 67. ESTC R40261. EUROPEAN/AMERICANA 699/14. JCB (4):381. KRESS 2117. SABIN 78211. HILL 107.