Le peuple instruit ; ou Les Alliances dans lesquelles les Ministres de la Grande-Bretagne ont engagé la Nation, & l'emploi qu'ils ont fait de ses Escadres & de ses Armées, depuis le commencement des troubles sur l'Ohio, jusqu'à la perte de Minorque, considérés dans une Quatrième Lettre au Peuple d'Angleterre

First edition, rare.
Modern half cherry red morocco binding. Confounding pastiche of a Restoration binding. Spine with false flat raised bands decorated with five blind tooled ornaments, gilt fillets; gilt roll at head and foot. Very fine copy.
Important document concerning the history of Canada and the United States, the work begins by examining the causes of the conflict between Great Britain and France concerning the Ohio territory. Indeed, in 1756, it was the beginning of the Seven Years' War, or Indian War, a war of conquest for legitimate occupation of territories; this war would spread from Virginia and Nova Scotia to the entire Great Lakes region of Canada, some Indians fought alongside the English, others with the French. Shebbeare reviews the English defeats, the poor policy and the generals present in Canada, the intervention of the American militia and Washington. The author harshly accuses the English government (kings and ministers) of having failed in protecting the British colonies of America and predicts England's ruin, citing examples at will of the poor policy conducted in Canada. Beyond this accusation, the author examines England's situation in Europe, the treaty with Russia, the difficulties with the House of Hanover and France and again accuses his country of sabotaging itself through disastrous political decisions.