Author: THUNBERG, CARL PETER:
Title: Resa uti Europa, Africa, Asia, förrättad åren 1770-1779. Four volumes. Upsala, Johan Edman & Joh. Edmans Enka, 1788 - 93.
Description: . Pp. (xxvi), 389, (1); (xxxii), 384; (xiv), 286, 289-389, 400-414; (xxxvi), 285, 288- 341. With engraved vignette of the Cape of Good Hope and ten engraved plates. Contemporary half calf on marbled paper boards, flat spines ruled in gilt with title labels. Bindings somewhat rubbed, head of volume four's spine lightly chipped. Bookplates and old ownership signatures. First edition. Light foxing throughout.Thunberg, pupil of Carl von Linné and known as "the Father of Japanese Botany", wrote this interesting narrative about his voyage to South Africa and Japan between the years 1770 and 1779. He stayed for three years at the Cape before joining a Dutch voyage via Batavia to Japan, arriving in Nagasaki in August 1775. He was confined to Deshima (the Dutch trading post on the artificial island in the bay of Nagasaki) for much of the time but was eventually allowed ashore to make botanical excursions. In the spring of 1776 he participated in a mission to Edo (Tokyo) to meet the emperor. Then he was able to study and collect specimens of local plants and seeds. On the return voyage he visited Java and Ceylon. Later Thunberg succeeded Linné as professor at Upsala. A glossary of Swedish and Japanese, and a vocabulary of the Malay language (called an Arabic dialect) are included. Cordier BJ 445 & BI 1384. Mendelssohn ii, 499. Pritzel 9259.

Keywords: East Asia, asia, asien, asiatic, asie, travel, voyages, exploration, natural history, far east, south africa, japan, japanese, japon, africa, africana, java, ceylon, sri lanka, malay, linneaus, linné


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