The Loyalist Collection

The British Pamphlets Relating to the American Revolution that have been included in this microfilm publication represent a copy of every available British and Irish pamphlet that was printed in Great Britain between 1 January 1764 and 31 December 1783. American and European pamphlets have been omitted, with the exception of those which were reprinted in Britain. In addition to the pamphlets either printed or reprinted in Britain, parliamentary speeches that were published for outside readers, and public reports and papers, although not government documents, have been included within the scope of this collection.

Pamphlets printed in America are available in Charles Evans, Early American Imprints. The titles filmed have been drawn from libraries in Great Britain, United States and Canada. The pamphlets included in this series were selected from those listed in Thomas R. Adams. The American Controversy: A Bibliographical Study of the British Pamphlets about the American Disputes, 1764-1783. All pamphlets, broadsides, and controversial books that concern the American Revolution, whether complete or partial works, or with scattered references within a work, have been included. Certain categories of material that are listed in The American Controversy have been omitted from the microfilm publication and include: pamphlets relating to the West Indies; those that concern the domestic affairs of a particular colony, except for Quebec which is included; all periodical literature; and pamphlets relating to trade.

In most instances, only one edition of each pamphlet was microfilmed, and this was normally the first edition, unless a later edition contained additional material, or if the first edition could not be filmed. Also, if an item were first published in America or in Europe, the first British edition was the one chosen for filming. Every effort was made to locate pamphlets that were bibliographically complete, although in some instances this proved to be impossible.