Law is a bottomless pit: or, The history of John Bull. Published from a manuscript found in the cabinet of the famous Sir H. Polesworth, in the year 1712. With large explanatory notes

All titles

• Law is a bottomless pit: or, The history of John Bull. Published from a manuscript found in the cabinet of the famous Sir H. Polesworth, in the year 1712. With large explanatory notes
• History of John Bull
• History of the proceedings in the case of Margaret.

People / Organizations

• M. Cooper ("printed for")
• John Arbuthnot (Author)

Imprint

London : printed for M. Cowper, Pater-noster Row, M,DCC,LXXVI. [1776]

Added name

Hume, David, 1711-1776, attributed name.; Ferguson, Adam, 1723-1816, attributed name.

Publication year

1776

ESTC No.

T171177

Grub Street ID

208807

Description

[2], 200, [4], 106p. ; 12°.

Note

By John Arbuthnot

Includes with separate title page and pagination but continuous register 'The history of the proceedings in the case of Margaret, commonly called Peg, only lawful sister to John Bull, Esq; with a complete key'; the imprint and date are the same as that of 'Law is a bottomless pit'

'The history' is a political satire. Attribution is disputed. David Raynor (1982; reissue 2009) suggests David Hume is the author. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry for Hume (2009) explicitly rejects this and restates the more traditional attribution to Adam Ferguson

"M. Cowper" may be a false bookseller's name chosen to imply that Mary Cooper is the bookseller.