Cairo, Petra, and Damascus, in 1839. With Remarks on the Government of Mehemet Ali, and on the Present Prospects of Syria
London: John Murray, 1841. First edition. Hardcover. Octavo. xi, 348pp. Original three-quarter leather over marbled boards with gilt lettering on dark brown leather label, and gilt ruling and tooling on spine. Speckled edges. Rare edition dedicated to David Roberts. Small errata slip bound in.
"The object of my visit to the Levant was entirely mercantile. Circumstances, unforeseen before my arrival at Alexandria, induced me to visit Cairo, instead of proceeding directly to Beyrout, as I had originally intended; and until I met with my friend, Mr. Roberts, I had never entertained the design of making the journey through Arabia Petrea, which is related in the following pages. These are little more than a transcript of letters written to my own family during my absence, after suppressing those passages which were of a purely domestic character, and adding some observations, from notes taken on my journey, and during my residence in Beyrout." (Preface). Light wear along edges of binding with two inch closed tear at top of front cover joint, and two narrow one inch scuffs on back cover near foredge corners. Small dealer sticker on inside front cover, and very light damp-staining on inside covers and endpapers. Very good condition. Item #54746
Price: $950.00