Imaginary Voyage (8 results)

Condition: Good. 8vo (183x116 mm). 71, 3 (catalogue of the bookseller Desloges) pp. Half-title, wood-engraved plate depicting a fantastical Chinese-style balloon, some foxing and staining, partly unopened, original printed wrappers.Rare first edition of this curious work in which the author expounds his ideas on airships by way of an imaginary balloon voyage to China. Mareschal begins by citing the claim that a balloon was launched at Peking in 1306, enabling him to propose that aerial navigation in China had achieved a state of perfection that was unknown in Europe. The narrative that follows, partly in the form of a dialogue with the author's fellow balloonist, Kié-Fo, allows Mareschal to make various observations on aeronautics at a time of considerable development in airship technology: only a few years after Henri Giffard's pioneering engine-powered flight of 1852. There is also a notably early suggestion that the North Pole could be reached by aerostat, which would entail a journey of about 600 miles each way and which, given favourable winds, could be covered in two days.B. Quaritch, On Earth as it is in Heaven. Utopias, Ideal Societies, Imaginary Voyages, list 2016/5, no. 34. Book.

Extensive autograph poetical work in four "Chants", provided with elaborate notes, containing a romantic imaginary voyage in French verses. The anonymous author - indicating himself with his initials "J.F. v. H. (St.?)" - has composed the poem at the manor house "Adegeest" at Voorschoten, between The Hague and Leiden, and has dated his work: "Mars (deleted), and 1 April 1853. At the time the manor house was in the possession of the very rich family Dorrepad. G.L. Dorrepad (1816-1883) was an entrepreneur who had gathered his wealth in the Dutch East Indies (he was involved f.e. in a notorious financial scandal denounced by the famous Sicco Roorda van Eysinga). To all probability our anonymous author was the private teacher for his children at Adegeest.In the introduction the author states that he had never visited the countries and regions he describes so passionately "N'ayant jamais visité les lieux que je decrits". Citing Cicero, Lord Byron, Alexandre Dumas and many others he concentrates on classical Greece and Italy and the Mediterranean.Contents: pp. I-V; Avertissement; 1-53: Chant premier; 55-81: Notes; 1-61: Chant second; 63-120: Notes; I-VI Avertissement; 1-68: Chant trousième; 69-132: Notes; 1-76: Chant quatrième; 77-136: Notes.Cover rubbed and spine damaged, otherwise in good condition. Loose quires in cover: marbled boards joined together by a spine of red painted sheepskin, green ties. Pages: [2], V, 81, 120, VI, 132, 131 pp.

First edition. An important imaginary voyage to Australia: a 'landmark' in the development of the French voyage novel (Atkinson), in its original full calf decorated binding. A Robinsonade account, which predates Defoe. It is complete with the ship wreck, exploration, conflict with local inhabitants, stand off and final rescue by a passing ship. It is a reasonable representation of the Australian continent and its challenges, along with a realistic estimation of the importance of mining and irrigation to Australia that "foreshadow what has actually come to pass in modern Australia." (Friederich) The title page is falsely dated 1710. In his deep analyses of Tyssot de Patot and his publications, Aubrey Rosenberg has concluded that this 1710 printing, with the armillary sphere device on the title page with the base pointing to the left, is indeed the first edition, and was published between 1714 and 1718. "Robinson Crusoe" first appeared in 1719. 12mo, (viii), 508pp. Bound in the original full brown calf binding, gilt spine in 6 compartments, raised bands, gilt device decoration on spine and outer dentelles. Bookplate of Sir John Dashwood King on the inside front pastedown. Rosenberg "A" Gove, 217-219; Cioranescu 62587; Barbier IV, 1103; Atkinson, 'The Extraordinary Voyage in French Literature', p. 70; Rosenberg, pp. 84-5. A handsome copy in its original binding.

First and only edition of a 1672 political pamphlet in the form of a spin-off from Henry Neville's very popular 1668 story of a voyage to the imaginary utopian/dystopian Isle of Pines. The present story is written as a conversation between three militia men on watch discussing the turbulent politics of 1672. One tells of his (fictitious) voyage and several years residence on a (fictitious) utopian island called Mallanbruino in the South Pacific. He says it is one degree south of the Isle of Pines. On Mallanbruino, the industrious people were oppressed by an emperor but rose up and defeated him with help from a prince, who also replaced the evil regents. They note the remarkable similarities to events in the Dutch Republic. The island then set up a new and fairer democratic representative political system, bringing peace and happiness to the island. The three men conclude that the Dutch Republic should introduce such a system.Some spots and a small restoration to the extremities of the title-page, otherwise in good condition. A fascinating but little-known pamphlet building political propaganda around a story related to the popular imaginary voyage to the Isle of Pines.l Knuttel 10600; M. Reinders, Printed pandemonium, pp. 195-199; STCN 863300111; not in Gove, Imaginary voyages; Van Doorninck, Vermomde en naamlooze schrijvers; Ford, Isle of Pines (1668) (1920); Scheckter, Isle of Pines 1668 (2011). Later blue/grey paper wrappers. With 2 thin rules on the title-page. Set in roman types with incidental italic. Pages: 8 pp.

Hardcover. Condition: Good. 16mo. xxxv + [1 blank] + 282 + 244 + [2]p. Printer's device on title; with 5 engraved plates (3 folding) and 1 folding plan. Ornamental woodcuts. Contemporary calf; spine gilt with morocco title label; joints worn. Imaginary voyage from Marseille to Lima via Brazil by an armchair traveller who pretended to be a surgeon from Bourg-en-Bresse. The imposture was exposed by Labat in Nouveau voyage aux îles de l'Amérique (1724) who detected blunders and contradictions. The author describes a picturesque itinerary via Sardinia, Malta, Menorca, Morocco, the Canaries, Ascension Island, St Catharina and Brazil (chapters 17 & 19), Buenos Aires (chapter 20), Montevideo, Chile, Peru, Lima and the Inquisition (chapter 37), Cayenne, Martinique, Brazil & Salvador (part II, chapters 12 & 13). Chapters 16-28 (part 2) are devoted to Madagascar and its people, where the writer claims to have been several times. The plates show: the traditional baptism at crossing the Equator; Brazilian Indian women and children swimming in a river; an interior view of the mines at Potosí; a plan of Lima; a procession of the Peruvian Inquisition; and slaves washing gold in a river. A good copy apart from a few traces of usage in margins of first leaves. Borba de Moraes, p281; Quérard 836; Sabin 21437.

First edition, second issue, of this fantastical account of an Elizabethan voyage to Australia. In Robertson's discovery of an idealized Australian society of peace and provender, the work outlines a critique of the ancien régime, with several pointed references to Rousseau's Social Contract of 1762. Howgego acclaims it as "a superior work in the genre which makes sophisticated use of real events to support its credibility" (p. 391). Barbier IV, p. 1078; Howgego V R20; Negley 979. Duodecimo (165 x 95 mm). Contemporary mottled calf, spine with raised bands, red morocco label, and floral decoration in gilt, marbled endpapers, edges red, light blue silk bookmarker. With 19th-century bookstamp of one "Granger" to initial blank and half-title. Light bumping and wear, a couple of small wormholes to head of front joint, small chip to lower outer corner of rear free endpaper, minor toning and foxing to contents, final 'I' of date partly scratched out: a very good copy.

First Edition. 8vo, pp.48, including a woodcut frontispiece; fore-edges of title-page, C3, and E2 shaved with minor loss (but sense easily recoverable), else a good copy in later half marbled calf; bookplate of George Harwood to front pastedown.Rare, a lively chapbook novella of adventures and tribulations in Africa, fusing elements of a Robinsonade with a brief utopia. The narrator is David Lowellin (b.1726), who at the age of eighteen absconds with his father's money to Virginia, where he becomes a shoemaker's apprentice at West Point. Returning to Wales in 1749 to find his parents dead, he gambles the rest of a large estate away in London then heads to sea as a merchant and in the navy until 1770, when he lies his way into Dutch service bound for the East Indies (along with Thomas Jenkins). Wrecked in a storm, they run aground on the coast of Africa and are taken by a party of 'some hundreds of Blacks, or Negroes', who feed them plantain, yams.and monkey (both raw and cooked), then deliver them to an 'Indian' leader, who is 'mild, humane, and gentle using us more like companions than slaves'. Their new master takes them to the capital city, where they trade their European goods for gold and slaves (which they then lose in the chaos that ensues after they demonstrate the use of firearms). Setting off north, they encounter elephants, monkeys, and buffalo; 'We once thought we saw a lion at a distance, but were not certain; however, a leopard came full in view'. They barter with the inhabitants, but as they go further north are set upon by a large group (see the frontispiece), killing some and losing several horses. Finally they hit the Sahara, where Jenkins dies, but not before asking forgiveness for his role in Lowellin's downfall (it was he who led him into gambling debt). Heading east Lowellin settles in an isolated spot, taming birds, cultivating crops, and collecting gold and diamonds, remaining there seven years without human contact. In 1782 he is discovered by soldiers who speak some broken French, and taken blindfolded to the elegant city of the 'Five Tribes', its grand octagonal buildings decorated with gold and other metals. Its topography, industry and egalitarian society are described, as are its laws, on which Lowellin comes a cropper when the 'innocent freedom' he employed 'in making love to a female', sees him imprisoned for life. Luckily for him, this is commuted to banishment, and he is educated on the proper mode of courtship, then escorted out of the kingdom, and makes his way home.The first edition of the Admirable Travels was published in 1782 (ESTC records three printings, in a total of four copies), followed by an edition of October 1783, and the present edition (NLW, Wisconsin, and a copy wanting the frontispiece at the British Library). As Gove notes, the titles are inflationary with each edition the length of Lowellin's sojourn increases, and the dates in the text changed. All are printed 'for the benefit of Robert Barker, an unfortunate blind man', who is also mentioned at the end of the text; Barker appears in the imprint of a number of chapbooks from 1777 to 1792, but he may not have existed. ESTC T112182; Gove, p.377. Language: English.

hardcover. Condition: very good. London: printed for Longman &c 1828. Duodecimo in sixes, publisher's cloth backed boards, printed paper spine label; 216pp. Endpapers spotted but an outstanding, fresh copy. 1829 inscription of C.H. Cruttwell, most likely Clement Henry Cruttwell, master (later headmaster) of Hertford Grammar School. Quite a rare imaginary voyage. The Islands of Bullanabee and Clinkataboo, though close to Hawaii, remain unknown to European navigators but have been trading for centuries with Japan, whose religion the islanders had embraced. As Japan was even more a mystery than Hawaii and other Pacific cultures this all allows a curious mix of supposition drawn from Asia and elsewhere, and imagination. This imaginary Japanese religion bears a remarkable likeness to Catholicism with its idol worship, the priesthood's love of gold and the supremacy of the head of the church, the sole link of communication to the Goddess Verginee. From the tyranny of this religion comes strife and civil war of course, until sense prevailed and the priests of Verginee were expelled. The cunning and cupidity of the priesthood was relentess though and trouble returns. Again, at last, sense prevails and though devotees of Verginee may persist in their worship they are wisely barred from holding any office of power. And yet again the Verginees wormed their way inside the defences of the too tolerant islanders, this during the author's two year stay, and "in consequence of these sudden and dangerous changes in the affairs of the islands I took the opportunity of leaving them and of leaving them clandestinely for; as all liberality of sentiment was gone and the introduction of a new sort of punishment was in contemplation . I deemed it prudent to make my escape".