Beschreibung:

[Avril, Philippe]. Travels Into divers Parts of Europe and Asia, Undertaken by the French King's Order to discover a new Way by Land into China. Containing many curious Remarks in Natural Philosophy, Geography, Hydrography, and History. Together with a Description of Great Tartary, and of the different People who inhabit there, 1st edition in English, printed for Tim. Goodwin, 1693, lacking A2 (Translator's Preface), title-page printed in red and black (with oval ink stamp 'Eastern District' to lower margin), publisher's advertisement leaf at rear, some spotting and toning (a few leaves browned/soiled), E8 with paper flaw resulting in slight loss to lower blank margin, manuscript signature on front pastedown, contemporary sheep, rubbed, with loss to spine ends, large 12mo (Qty: 1) Cordier Sinica 2088-9; ESTC R16481; Wing A4275. A translation of Voyage en divers états d’Europe et d’Asie, first published in Paris in 1692. Jesuit traveller Philippe Avril (1654-1698) set out in 1685 in an attempt to find an overland route to the Far East. He went via Cyprus, Syria, Asia Minor and Persia but was turned back on reaching Astrakhan on the Northern shores of the Caspian sea. He subsequently returned to Constantinople then to France via Poland and Moldavia, arriving home in 1690.