{"product_id":"wilson-a-missionary-voyage-to-the-southern-pacific-ocean-1799-first-edition","title":"Wilson – A Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean, 1799 – First Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWILSON, James.\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean, Performed in the Years 1796, 1797, 1798, in the Ship Duff, Commanded by Captain James Wilson.\u003c\/em\u003e London: Printed by S. Gosnell, for T. Chapman, 1799.  4to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAn important early account of the Pacific, recording the voyage of the Duff under Captain James Wilson and the London Missionary Society's establishment of missions in \u003cstrong\u003eTahiti, Tonga and the Marquesas.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompiled from the journals of the officers and missionaries, the narrative combines a seafaring account with extensive observations on the island communities encountered. Descriptions of customs, religious practices, dwellings and political life give the work considerable interest beyond its missionary purpose. A preliminary discourse surveys the geography and history of the South Sea islands, while the appendix provides a fuller account of the natural and civil state of Tahiti.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe work also has a notable \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003econnection with the mutiny on the Bounty\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e: the preliminary discourse and appendix on Tahiti draw on the then-unpublished narrative of James Morrison, one of the pardoned mutineers. The large Pacific chart is of additional interest for its early use of the geographical names \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“Greater Australia” and “Lesser Australia.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst edition, preferred Gosnell printing.\u003c\/strong\u003e Complete with seven engraved maps and charts, five folding, and six engraved plates. Full tan calf, attractively rebacked, spine richly gilt in compartments with floral ornament, red morocco lettering-piece and gilt date at foot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePictorial bookplate of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eChaffee E. Hall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to the front pastedown.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAttractively rebacked with the original, richly gilt spine laid down. Boards with surface scuffing, scratches and abrasions, and rubbing and wear to edges and corners. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eText generally bright and clean, with generous margins.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Foxing chiefly affects the plates and maps, particularly the large folding chart, with some offsetting onto facing leaves. Pictorial bookplate of Chaffee E. Hall and occasional pencil numerical notations to the endpapers. An attractive, complete copy.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBibliographical note\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo distinct printings appeared in 1799, one by S. Gosnell and the other by T. Gillet, both for T. Chapman. The present Gosnell printing is generally preferred, the Gillet printing being produced with a different setting on smaller paper. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReferences\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eESTC T87461; Ferguson 301; Hill p. 184.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Reservoir Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58011569652094,"sku":null,"price":1250.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1018\/4464\/8318\/files\/IMG_0228.jpg?v=1789159176","url":"https:\/\/reservoirbooks.store\/products\/wilson-a-missionary-voyage-to-the-southern-pacific-ocean-1799-first-edition","provider":"Reservoir Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}