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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  The Denis Joachim Collection
• Sale Date:
  19 Jun 2016 ~ 2pm - Session 1: Lots 1 - 321
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 10am - Session 2: Lots 322 - 480
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 2pm - Session 3: Lot 481 - 688
  20 Jun 2016 ~ 6pm - Session 4: Lots 689 - 818
• Lot #:
  35
• Lot Description:
  Dalrymple, Alexander. An Historical Collection of the Several Voyages and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean
  Vol. I. Being chiefly a Literal Translation from the Spanish Writers [bound with] Vol. II. Containing the Dutch Voyages. Two volumes in one, quarto, with four folding charts and twelve plates (most folding), with half-titles (that of volume one in duplicate) and errata, small erasure on title, bound in calf of the period, rebacked retaining the gilt spine. London, Printed for the Author and sold by J. Nourse, T. Payne, and P. Elmsley, 1770 – 1771.
• Notes:
  First edition. Dalrymple’s important collection of Spanish and Dutch voyages was the summation of knowledge of the Pacific when Cook departed on his first voyage and was in the course of publication when the Endeavour returned to England. The leading hydrographer of his day and a man of genius, Dalrymple was tragically driven by a fanciful belief in a ‘Great Southern Continent’ and by a virulent antagonism to virtually every British navigator of his time. Cook’s successes were especially galling. Dalrymple, as the leading authority on the South Seas, had been offered command of the expedition to observe the transit of Venus but he proved troublesome, particularly over his insistence on being given an Admiralty commission, and Cook was given the command instead. Dalrymple’s long introduction to the present work argues the theoretical case for the existence of a landmass in the southern hemisphere to counterpoise the mass of Europe and Asia and, to some extent at least, Dalrymple’s selection and presentation of the texts of the earlier navigators is designed to support this theory. The first volume comprises translations of the Spanish explorers, including Magellan, Mendaña, and de Quirós, while the second volume comprises the voyages of Dutch navigators, including Le Maire, Tasman, and Roggewein. Dalrymple was not persuaded by the results of Cook’s first voyage and maintained a vicious campaign, superficially against Hawkesworth but by implication against Cook, denigrating the results achieved during the Endeavour voyage. Cook’s second voyage was largely dispatched to settle once and for all the issues raised so insistently by Dalrymple. Hill 2, 410 (but 11 plates only); Holmes (1), 32; Kroepelien, 245; Sabin, 18338.
• Estimate:
  A$10,000 - 15,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Books & Manuscripts

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.