Bank of England.- [Holland (John)] The Directors of the Bank of England, Enemies to the Great Interests of the Kingdom; and also, not just to the Trust reposed in them by the Adventurers, who chose them to do their best Endeavours, by all Honest Means, for the Advantage of the Joint Stock, 15pp., first edition, lightly browned, modern morocco-backed boards, a little spotted, [Goldsmiths' 5235; Hanson 2179; Not in Kress or Stephens], small 4to, [1715].

⁂ John Holland (d. 1722), the organiser and founder of the Bank of Scotland, guided the new bank through its initial difficulties caused by the opposition of the African Company. In this pamphlet he made proposals for the foundation of a bank "for lending money on land, and for the relief of the poor of the kingdom" [p.6]. He was anxious that the rate of interest should be kept low, and that every facility should be given to borrowers. "That a low interest on money will be greatly beneficial to the government, to all the landed interest in the kingdom, and also to trade, is obvious to every considering man" [p.7]. He had made his proposals to the Bank of England, but the directors of the Bank had opposed them, in order to protect their own exclusive position in lending money.