Beschreibung:

COXE, William (1747-1828). Account of the Russian Discoveries between Asia and America. To which are added, the Conquest of Siberia, and the History of the Transactions and Commerce between Russia and China . London: J. Nichols for T. Cadell, 1780. 3 parts in one volume, 4 o (273 x 216 mm). 4 engraved folding maps by T. Kitchin and one engraved folding plate by I. Cheevers (a few short edge tears and repairs, some minor creasing). 2-page publisher's advertisement at end. Contemporary red morocco, spine richly gilt, green morocco letteringpiece, edges gilt (some light rubbing). Provenance : Mme. de Seydwitz (inscription on flyleaf: "Don de la . Me. de Seydwitz, mére du prince de Sückler Muscau, épreuse de M. de Hardenberg, fille du president du ministère prussian sous Napoleon 1 e r. à M. Mazade...") FIRST EDITION. COXE'S IMPORTANT COMPILATION OF CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNTS WHICH WAS SUPPLEMENTED BY DETAILS OF KRENITZIN AND LEVASHEV'S "SECRET" EXPEDITION. Part I of the work is a translation of J.L.S's Neue Nachrichten (Hamburg and Leipzig: 1776) and the other parts are similarly based on previously-published narratives and accounts, principally German. However, Coxe took advantage of a sojourn in Russia to verify these accounts with Gerhard Friedrich Müller and Peter Simon Pallas and other eminent Russian experts on the subject. "[Coxe] also succeeded in securing additional material (for instance the narrative and maps of Krenitzin and Levashev's 'secret' expedition, the first official Russian government expedition since Bering's second expedition of 1741). He was able to secure this particular information, not widely known at the time even in Russia, from Dr. William Robertson who in turn obtained it through his friend Dr. Rogerson, first physician to Empress Catherine II" (Lada-Mocarski). Brunet II:399; Cordier Sinica col. 2447; ESTC T134277 (calling for an errata slip not present here); Hill 391; Howes C-834; Lada-Mocarski 29; NMM I, 46; Sabin 17309.