A Journey from London to the Isle of Wight.

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Thomas Pennant,

A Journey from London to the Isle of Wight.

London, Printed at the Oriental Press, by Wilson & Co. For Edward Barding, No. 98, Pall-Mall; And sold by West and Hughes, No. 40, Paternoster-Row. 1801.

Full of topographical and historical detail

$750.00

Full of topographical and historical detail

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Full of topographical and historical detail

The volume(s) measure about 29.7 cm. by 23.5 cm. by 5 cm.

Each leaf measures about 288 mm. by 230 mm.

A Journey from London to the Isle of Wight. By Thomas Pennant, Esq. Volume I. From London to Dover. London, Printed at the Oriental Press, by Wilson & Co. For Edward Barding, No. 98, Pall-Mall; And sold by West and Hughes, No. 40, Paternoster-Row. 1801.

Bound with

Volume II: From Dover to the Isle of Wight.

The volume is paginated as follows: Vol I: (2), v-ix, (2), 205 p. Vol II: (6), 217 p.

The volume collates: Vol I: )(, b-b4, B – CC4, DD3. Vol II: )(3, B-EE4, FF

Both volumes complete including both tables of contents.

47 plates, 2 folding maps.

Correct plate count, but with a portrait of Willm. Harvey at Pg, 5 in Vol 2 (not listed on the plate list), substituting the plate of William Chillingworth, which was not ready for publication. Later copies would have both plates, or just the Chillingworth plate. This copy with the maps uncoloured.

Bound in new Quarter calf with marble paper boards. The calf spine with six black colored blind stamped compartments and five raised bands. A black lettering piece in the second compartment from the top.

Internally the pages with some foxing and faint browning on the edges. Volume II with water staining towards the end. Please see the extensive photographs on our website in order to gain a better appreciation and understanding of the condition and contents.

Per Wikipedia: “Thomas Pennant (1726 – 1798) was a Welsh naturalist, traveller, writer and antiquarian. He was born and lived his whole life at his family estate, Downing Hall near Whitford, Flintshire, in Wales.

As a naturalist he had a great curiosity, observing the geography, geology, plants, animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish around him and recording what he saw and heard about. He wrote acclaimed books including British Zoology, the History of Quadrupeds, Arctic Zoology and Indian Zoology although he never travelled further afield than continental Europe. He knew and maintained correspondence with many of the scientific figures of his day. His books influenced the writings of Samuel Johnson. As an antiquarian, he amassed a considerable collection of art and other works, largely selected for their scientific interest. Many of these works are now housed at the National Library of Wales.

As a traveller he visited Scotland and many other parts of Britain and wrote about them. Many of his travels took him to places that were little known to the British public and the travelogues he produced, accompanied by painted and engraved colour plates, were much appreciated. Each tour started at his home and related in detail the route, the scenery, the habits and activities of the people he met, their customs and superstitions and the wildlife he saw or heard about. He travelled on horseback accompanied by his servant, Moses Griffith, who sketched the things they encountered, later to work these up into illustrations for the books. He was an amiable man with a large circle of friends and was still busily following his interests into his sixties. He enjoyed good health throughout his life and died at Downing at the age of seventy two.”

A Journey from London to the Isle of Wight was undertaken by Thomas Pennant and his son at slow pace and is full of topographical and historical detail, intended as it was to be a survey of the ” comparison of the naval strength and commercial advantages and disadvantages of our island with those of her two powerful rivals”, France and Spain. This account was written late in his life, and offered to the public by his son David, after his death.

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