Author: COXE, William (1747-1828):
Title: Travels in Switzerland. In a series of letters to William Melmoth. In 2 volumes.
Description: Dublin, for L. White (et al), 1789, in-8°, 1 leaf + VII p. + 2 leaves + VI + 555 p. / XIV p. + 1 leaf + 544 p. + 12 leaves (Index), with 1 folding panorama + 4 engraved plates, (both maps, Switzerland & Mont Blanc are lacking), pastedown of both volumes with Dublin College prize label in the Latin language filled in by hand for the pupil named Francis Blackburg, circular 'Ex Libris Anthony Michaelis' on endpaper of 1st vol., cont. marbled calf prize-bindings with gilt supralibros of Dublin College, green title labels on spine, spine soberly gilt, extremity of one spine and top of other chipped. Still a very good copy. ¶ VERY RARE DUBLIN IMPRINT. A revised and enlarged edition of Coxe's earlier publication of the letters, with engraved figures added, Another edition was published the same year in London. These editions served as the bases of a number of editions published in the following decenium. This copy includes the folding panorama "View of the Alps as seen from the environs of Berne", a plate "View of the lakes of Thun and Brienz from the top of the Niess", a plate showing the "Head of bearded vulture", and 2 simple plates: the timber bridge of Wettingen, and two bouquetins. Cox first published his travels in 1779 under the title 'Sketches of the natural, civil and political state of Switzerland'. Coxe left a curacy in Denham, near Uxbridge, to become tutor to the Duke of Marlborough's eldest son, and two years later became travelling tutor to the son of the Earl of Pembroke. It was in this capacity that he undertook the travels through Switzerland about which he wrote here. According to Abbey 'Coxe is credited with being the first to apply notions of the 'Picturesque' to Switzerland, and with being one of the first to write in such a way as to open the country up to touristic possibilities' Please notify before visiting to see a book. Prices are excl. VAT/TVA (only Switzerland) & postage. Cf. Barth 17601, Cox I/158, Engelmann II/924, Lowndes I/543, and Graesse II/293; cf. Perret 1159.

Keywords: geography géographie Switzerland Suisse-Générale, Switzerland-general, Schweiz-allgemein travel, exploration voyages history histoire correspondence correspondance Palmer, W.