Beschreibung:

COXE, William (1747-1828). Travels in Switzerland, and in the Country of the Grissons: in a Series of Letters to William Melmoth Esq. London: T. Cadell, 1794. 2 volumes, 4° (326 x 248mm). One hand-coloured, folding engraved map by and after W. Palmer, 22 aquatint plates by S. Alken, Merigot and J. Edy after J. Smith one engraved plate by S. Mazell after John Soane one hand-coloured engraved plate printed in bistre, one engraved folding map by and after W. Palmer, and one engraved map by B. Baker after E. Baker. (Variable spotting, browning and offsetting, one folding map with small tear on fold and margin, the latter causing minor loss, lacking preliminary leaf II/a4, 'Introduction'.) Contemporary olive-green, straight-grained morocco gilt, roll-tooled floral borders on sides within broad and narrow rules, gilt board edges and roll-tooled turn-ins, spines gilt in compartments, gilt edges (a few minor scuffs, extremities lightly rubbed, corners bumped). Provenance : shelfmarks in violet ink on front free endpapers and 2 neat corrections to volume I plate list. Third edition, FIRST QUARTO EDITION AND THE FIRST EDITION ILLUSTRATED WITH AQUATINTS OF SMITH'S DRAWINGS. Coxe's Travels in Switzerland was first published in 3 octavo volumes in 1789 and was followed by a second edition in 1791. As Abbey notes, 'Coxe's book ... was certainly popular in its day, and had its importance in helping to apply to Switzerland the doctrine of the picturesque, taming the country for the tourist' ( Travel 54); this popularity could have persuaded Coxe that there would be a lucrative market for an illustrated quarto edition with generous margins. Brunet II, col.399; ESTC T133962. (2)