A singular early nineteenth century letterbook that centres on a polemical essay sent to Thomas Brand, 20th Baron Dacre, on the state of the British nation and the need for multiple reforms, notably parliamentary reform which would be achieved in the Great Reform Act only two years later. To the rear of the volume Dacre’s thoughtful reponse to his former Hertfordshire neighbour and perhaps constituent has been tipped in.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Quarto format, full fawn limp leather, ruled and roll-tooled in blind, remnants of hand-written white paper title label pasted to front cover; soiled and rubbed, losses to spine, corners worn and rounded. Bands of browning, from glue, to endpapers which are peeling at head and tail of front hinge, small losses, but wrappers remain firmly attached. 46 leaves – 92 pages – blank paper; numbering begins on first page, running f. 1, pp. 1-4, ff. 5-41; text continuous, except three blank pages between entries, script ends on [p. 80], followed by 7 blank leaves. The author has compiled an index of letters and subjects to the verso of the front endpaper. Script, in brown ink, in an attractive, open and (mostly) legible hand; toned with some foxing, ink smudges and crossings-out. Overall, clean and a 3 page letter, addressed ‘Chesterfield/ Tuesday’ and signed “Dacre” tipped in to rear: closed tears to both leaves, with repairs, small losses to second leaf, which has been pasted to another page to reinforce it, text remains legible.
TEXT: Batten writes in a lively and well informed style. He has copied in full his letter-essay to Dacre (pp. 44; dated 01.02.1830, from St Albans) which makes up most of the book and argues for church reforms, changes to beer taxes, the civil list, game laws, enclosure bills and licensing. But it is parliamentary reform that rouses him to fury: ‘The Borough Monger System is Derogatory and Corrupt... While Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham and other large Towns... ought to return members... are denied the privilege.’ Dacre’s response to this letter is polite and respectful, acknowledging ‘your observations upon the present state of the country.’ There are also two shorter letters to Dacre and Lord Althorp (1830), in similar vein, discussing beer and leather taxes. The penultimate section, written in lighter ink and another hand, lists the reforms that have been implemented with corresponding folio numbers to relevant sections in Batten’s letters; It closes with: ‘Remarks on the Law of Militia, Legacy, and Probate Duty’s’ (c. 1847). A letterbook with resonance for the present day in capturing a testing time for Britain, when ‘inhabitants of this once envied and almost adored island are looking with watchful, and penetrating eye, on the conduct of their rulers.’
CONTEXT The historical record is scant for Batten, though he served as a Poor Law overseer in St Albans in 1838. Thomas Brand, 20th Baron Dacre (1774–1851) was a British peer and Whig politician. Before succeeding to the barony of Dacre in 1819, Brand held the seats of Helston and Hertfordshire. He lived at The Hoo, Hertfordshire.
