MACARTNEY (George). Voyage dans l'intérieur de la Chine, et - Lot 137

MACARTNEY (George). Voyage dans l'intérieur de la Chine, et en Tartarie, fait dans les années 1792, 1793 et 1794. Paris, F. Buisson, 1799. 5 vols. In-8, (4)-VIII-515 + (4)-412 p. + (4)-399 p. + (4)-326 p. + (4)-II-402 p., contemporary half marbled basane, smooth ornate spine, blond calf title-piece and green calf atlas, restorations + one atlas in-4, contemporary porphyry basane, smooth ornate spine with red title-pieces, gilded friezes framing the boards, flowers in spandrels, old restorations, spine rubbed, scratches to boards (browning and brown spots; defects including corner damage to 2 plates, one torn). Second edition of this account of the most sumptuous of the Western delegations sent to China in the 18th century, published in English in 1797, offering precise information on science, natural history, the aristocracy, costumes and architecture. Published a year after the French original, it was icic translated by Jean Castéra, revised, corrected and augmented by a fifth volume: Précis de l'Histoire de la Chine, et du Voyage en Chine et en Tartarie by J.C. Huttner, translated from the German. The illustrations include a portrait of the author, 3 frontispieces, 31 plates and 4 folding maps, engraved by Tardieu and Launey. The atlas is here in its third edition (Paris, Buisson, 1804) and comprises 41 plates, including a portrait of the author engraved by R. de Launay, a portrait of Fou-Hi, founder of the Chinese Empire, and 4 maps, including 3 fold-outs. (Cordier, Sinica, IV, 2385).