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MONSIEUR DE THEVENOT, The Travels of Monsieur de Thevenot into the Levant: In Three Parts. viz. Into I. Turkey II. Persia. III. The East-Indies, London: Printed by H Clark, for H Faithorn, [et al.], 1687

(3 parts in one volume)
First English edition. folio [38], 291, [3], 108, 105-200, [2], 93, [1], 91-114, [4] pages, with an engraved portrait frontispiece and 3 engraved plates, each part with separate title-page
Recent full brown calf antique, gilt-decorated spine in compartments, red Morocco label in 1
33.5 x 21 x 4.5 cm

Thvenot's travels mark the beginning of the grand epoch of travel and exploration in the Levant. - BLACKMER CATALOGUE

This significant 17th century travelogue is divided into three parts, compiled into a single volume, describing the travels of the author to Turkey, Persia and the East Indies. Jean de Thvenot, a French linguist and botanist, left for his travels to the East in 1655, returned to Paris is 1659, and set off again in 1663. He passed away in 1667 in Iran.

The first part of The Travels of Monsieur de Thvenot into the Levant has been described as detailing the Manners, Religions, Forces, Governments, Politicks, Languages, and Customs of the Inhabitants of that Great Empire, as well as accounts of Constantinople (now Istanbul), the pyramids and mummies of Egypt, and other Asian and African countries. The second part explores the Persian empire and the itinerary of Thevnot's voyage through several countries there, and the third part describes India, the Mughals and neighbouring countries. In India, he systematically sought information on other parts of the Mughal Empire from native informants and other itinerant Europeans because Thvenot was a tireless observer and researcher he provides occasional new materials in his systematic surveys of the imperial provinces tucked into these methodical paragraphs are occasional sidelights and acute observations which are novel. (Lach, III, p. 807)

The three parts were originally published individually, the first in Paris in 1665, and the other two posthumously in 1674 and 1684. The present lot is a compilation of all three parts and is the first English edition of the Travels. A collected French edition was published in 1689.