BARTRAM (William). Voyage dans les parties Sud de l'Amérique - Lot 6

BARTRAM (William). Voyage dans les parties Sud de l'Amérique septentrionale ; savoir : les Carolines septentrionale et méridionale, la Géorgie, les Florides orientale et occidentale, le pays des Cherokées, le vaste territoire des Muscogulges ou de la confédération Creek, et le pays de Chactaws. À Paris, chez Maradan, an IX [1800-1801]. 2 volumes in-8, (4 of which with white versos)-457-(3 of which with the first and last white) + (4 of which with white versos)-436-(2 of which with the last white) pp. half blond basane, speckled spines decorated with gilt full and dotted fillets with brown and brown title and tomaison pieces, pink paper boards with green parchment corners, yellow edges (period binding). Second edition of Pierre-Vincent Benoist's French translation, first published in Year VII, of this story originally published in English in Philadelphia in 1791. The translator was for a time in the service of Danton, who entrusted him with secret missions in England (1792), held posts in the Secretariat of State and the Ministry of the Interior under the Consulate and Empire, was appointed State Councillor under the first Restoration, elected deputy in the Chamber that could not be found, and continued his career in senior administration, before being appointed Minister of State by Charles X. Illustrated with 4 (of 5) copper-engraved plates out of text, 3 of which are folding, i.e.: a portrait, two botanical representations and a zoological representation. Without the hors texte map. ONE OF THE FIRST AMERICAN NATURALISTS, WILLIAM BARTRAM (1739-1823) followed in the footsteps of his father John Bartram. The latter, a Quaker from Pennsylvania, explored the East Coast, collected plants to create an important botanical garden in Philadelphia, made friends with Benjamin Franklin, engaged in correspondence with European scientists including Carl von Linné, and was admitted to London's Royal Society. Also a naturalist, William Bartram made long voyages to the South of North America, first with his father in 1765-1766, then alone from 1773 to 1777. His aim was to escape his creditors, of course, but above all to contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge, while at the same time indulging in contemplative exploration of the beauties of Creation. A BOOK OF SCIENCE AND A LITERARY JOURNEY This account of his travels in the Southern regions, which includes one of the first scientific descriptions of the pristine nature of the river swamps of the American South, is based on William Bartram's journal of his wanderings, but with extensive reworking. It deals with botany and, above all, zoology: it includes the most complete bird list of the time for these regions, with 200 species, well before Alexander Wilson's seminal work. It is also of great archaeological and ethnological interest, expressing a respectful attitude towards the Indians partly inspired by Quaker ideas. Keen to please as well as instruct, William Bartram pays particular attention to expression, so as to remain a pleasant read. ENTHUSIASTIC READING BY ROMANTIC WRITERS. Published late, due to the American Revolution and the author's own tribulations, William Bartram's voyage was a great success with English Romantics such as Samuel T. Coleridge, Robert Southey and William Wordsworth, who read with delight the passages expressing a gentle admiration for the beauties of nature. François-René de Chateaubriand borrowed heavily from it to write his Voyage en Amérique, and to lend credence to his alleged visit to Florida.