The Gentlemans Guide, in three Discourses. First of Travel, Or a Guide for Travellers into Foreign Parts. Secondly, of Money or Coyns. Thirdly, of Measuring of the Distance betwixt Place and Place.

LEIGH, Edward.

Published by London: William Whitwood, 1680

About this Item

A re-issue, with cancel title-page, of the edition published in 1671 under the title Three Diatribes or discourses, of travel, of money, and of measuring distance betwixt place and place, continuously paginated, but each part with its own printed title dated 1671. In his note "To the Candid Reader", the former Member of Parliament Edward Leigh refers to earlier travellers who had written accounts, with mention of several Arabist scholars including Golius, Erpenius, and Pocock. His survey of coinage includes the observation that gold and silver are not necessarily of interest to all: "Mony, commonly, is the mean for all commodities, and answereth to all. Yet the Spaniards coming into the West-Indies, had many commodities of the country which they needed, brought unto them by the inhabitants; to whom, when they offered them money, goodly pieces of gold coyn, the Indians taking the mony, would put it into their mouths, and spit it out to the Spaniards again, signifying, that they could not eat it, or make use of it; and therefore would not part with their commodities for mony, unless they had such other commodities as would serve their use." (p. 36). ESTC 006137293; Wing L996. See Goldsmiths' 1985 and Kress 1293 for the 1671 edition. Octavo (142 x 93 mm). Woodcut initials in text. Ownership inscription of Thomas Bayly to front free endpaper, with his purchase price at head of title, and engraved armorial bookplate to front pastedown, modern bookplate to rear pastedown. Contemporary unlettered sheep, double blind-stamped rule border to sides, flat spine ruled in blind. Spine ends and corners a little worn, a little light spotting and browning; a very good copy in an attractive contemporary binding.

Seller Inventory # 134642

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Gentlemans Guide, in three Discourses. First of Travel, Or a Guide for Travellers into Foreign Parts. Secondly, of Money or Coyns. Thirdly, of Measuring of the Distance betwixt Place and Place.
• Publisher: London: William Whitwood, 1680