Nouveau Voyage dans la Haute et Basse Égypte, en Syrie, et dans le Dar-Four, Contreé où aucun Européen n'avoit encore pénétré; Fait Depuis 1792 Jusqu'en 1798 (New Voyage to Upper and Lower Egypt, Syria, and Dar-Four, a Country where no European had been, made from 1792 to 17980) [PAUL LEGRAVE'S COPY]
Paris: Dentu, Imprimeur – Libraire, 1800. Hardcover. Octavo. xxxviii, 371, 1 folding engraving, 2 folding maps, (3) 391 (1)pp., one plate. Rebound in modern aubergine calf, light brown at spines, with decorative blind-stamped frame, gilt lettering on red leather label and gilt ruling on spine. Speckled edges. Cream endpapers. Illustrated bookplate of French architect Paul Legrave (1864-1933) on the interior front cover
Containing curious details of the government, customs, commerce, production and geography of various parts of the interior of Africa; as well as on Natolia, on Constantinople, on Paswan-Oglow. With critical notes on works by Savary and Volney. Translated into French by J. Castéra.
The frontispiece engraving depicts the temple of Luxor as described by Strabo. Contains two folding maps, one of Egypt and Darfur, a second of Darfur in volume one, and an engraving showing the plan of the residence of the Sultan of Darfur in volume two.
Browne's travelogue "contains the earliest information in English about Darfur (Sudan)...[and he was the] first European to describe Darfur, which he had reached with a Sudanese caravan in 1793" (Blackmer 219). The appendices contain explications of the maps, the itineraries, a meteorological table for the year 1794, passages of the works of Savary and Volney on Egypt, and observations on some facts contained in the correspondence of the French officers who accompanied Bonaparte in Egypt.
Text in French. Contains illustrated bookplates of Paul Lagrave, one undefined coat of arms plate with "Viritus Semper Veridis" descriptor and a seal on circular paper plate of front free endpaper. Small dealer stickers on inside back cover. Blocks with some age-toning at endpapers, else light, very light sporadic foxing, small water stain in margins of frontispiece, not affecting image. Front free endpaper in volume one with small chip at upper foredge. Very good condition. Item #48733
Price: $475.00