[Outlines of the Globe]: The View of Hindoostan (I & II); The View of India, Extra Gangem, China and Japan; The View of the Malayan Isles, New Holland, and the Spicy Islands (III&IV).

Additional information

Pennant's Penchant. First edition, four volumes in two. [2], xvi, 263, [11]; [10], 374, [14] pp.; xi, [5], 284, [13] pp.; [8], 282, 281-317, [23] pp. With three folding maps, twenty-one engraved plates (one of which is hand-coloured) and two vignettes. Some drawings by G Daniell; Angus, etc; engraved by JW Tomkins; Barlow. J Chesham. Earlow, etc. Contemporary diced brown Russia, expertly re-backed retaining original spines, compartments with gilt arabesques and burgundy morocco gilt lettering labels. Tear to Aa2 in part four, negligible foxing to first and last few leaves. Unobtrusive owner marks of Alan Seale and his 'South Sea Library'. (Text leaves watermarked 1796 or 6 (v1) & 1799, with 1794 for 1 pl v2). An excellent copy in an appropriate binding. Tall quarto. (291 x 230 mm). (ESTC T145965. Ferguson - Australia 278. Hill p228/9). Outlines of the Globe was originally planned as a 14 volume set, but Pennant died just after the first two volumes were published. While Pennant was a highly respected member of the London scientific community, he was something of an armchair traveller and never actually visited India. He was very skillful in adapting and elaborating upon other's work. 'Volumes one and two on India, though they are highly considered, are rather common. However, volumes three and four are quite scarce. The latter volumes were edited after the death of the author, whose name is given on the title pages of the volumes. Volume three has sections on Burma, Thailand, the Anbdaman and Nicobar Islands, Malaya, Cambodia, Cochin China, Tonquin, Formosa, Korea, and the Kuril Islands. Volume four also includes material on the Moluccas, New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland. The illustrations are of importance' (Hill). Pennant's advertisement at the beginning of the first volume explains that he was pressured to publish at least part of his grand work before its completion: 'I might have pleaded the imprudence of the attempt, at my time of life, of beginning so arduous an undertaking in my 71st year..'. The fourth volume, subtitled The View of the Malay Isles, New Holland and the Spicy Islands, published in 1800, contains a substantial (50 pp.) section dealing with 'the stupendous island of New Holland' and Norfolk Island, in the form of a short preliminary history and a description of the flora and fauna. He also discusses New Guinea