BAYARD DE LA VINGTRIE (Ferdinand). Voyage dans l'intérieur d - Lot 7

BAYARD DE LA VINGTRIE (Ferdinand). Voyage dans l'intérieur des États-Unis, à Bath, Winchester, dans la vallée de Shenandoah, etc., etc., pendant l'été de 1791. À Paris, chez Batilliot ; à Toulouse, chez Sens ; à Strasbourg, chez Levrault ; à Poitiers, chez Catineau ; à Brest, chez Belloy Kardoik, an VI [1797-1798]. In-8, xxiii [incorrectly numbered xxv]-(one blank)-347 [incorrectly numbered 1 to 344 and 347 to 349]-(one blank) pp. half brown marbled basane with corners, smooth cloisonné spine decorated with a gilded iron with a repeated antique vase and red title page, yellow edges (period binding). PARTLY ORIGINAL EDITION, published the year after the original, enlarged with passages dedicated to George Washington, but with his apocryphal letters inserted. Account of an excursion around Baltimore and into Virginia, during which the author showed a particular interest in morals - in particular, he criticizes the materialism he says characterizes American society. Numerous passages also deplore slavery. A FRENCH ARISTOCRATE ACQUISITE TO NEW IDEAS, FERDINAND BAYARD DE LA VINGTRIE (1763-c. 1818) was an artillery officer until 1788. Wishing to settle in the United States, he contacted Thomas Jefferson, who advised him to visit the country before confirming his decision. His stay in the United States lasted until 1794, during which time he was in contact with George Washington, whom he unsuccessfully asked to help form a corps of American volunteers to fight alongside the French republicans, who were up against the first coalition of monarchies raised against them. He then returned to Europe, making several trips to Italy under the Consulate, an account of which he published in 1802. He was employed as director of the estates of kings Joseph Bonaparte and then Joachim Murat in the Kingdom of Naples, and returned to France in 1814.