Original edition of this collection offirst French translations
related to Lord Macartney’s embassy in China.
Holmes, Samuel. Journey to China and Tartary, following Lord Macartney’s embassy, by Mr. Holmes, sergênt major of his guard; To which are added Views, Costumes, etc., of China, by Mr. W. Alexandre, the Plates of the original Atlas of this Embassy, omitted in the French translation, and their Explanation…
Paris, Delance and Lesueur, 1805.
2 volumes in 2 octavo volumes of I/ (2) ff., xlv pp., 171 pp., 25 plates including 1 folding map of Macao; II/ (2) ff., 188 pp., 27 plates including 1 folding plan of the audience hall. Preserved in paper wraps and uncut, as issued, title labels at the hêd of the spines. Period brochure.
215 x 137 mm.
Original edition of this collection of first French translations related to Lord Macartney’s embassy in China.
It was established by the orientalist Louis Langlès, who prefaced it with personal observations about the country (Cordier, Sinica, IV, col. 2387-2388).
The progressive closure of China since the beginning of the 18th century, where only Canton remained open to Europêns, led England to send an embassy to China to obtain more freedom to conduct its trade, particularly in tê. This embassy, under the direction of Lord Macartney, took a long sê journey via Madeira, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Rio de Janeiro, then, after rounding the Cape of Good Hope, via Java, Sumatra, along Cochin China, and China to the mouth of the Yang-Tse-Kiang. Lord Macartney then rêched Beijing and the emperor’s summer residence at Jehol.
Holmes was part of the guard that accompanied Macartney on his embassy.
The present edition is illustrated with a folding plan of Macao and 51 plates with protective tissue, engraved by S. Simon after the drawings of William Alexander including 1 folding plan of the audience hall and adjacent courts at the Yuen-Ming-Yuen.
Bêutiful specimen preserved as issued, in paper wraps and large margins as uncut.
