CHINA AND FRANCE, OR TWO TREATISES. THE ONE, OF THE PRESENT STATE OF CHINA, AS T

London 1676, Lowndes. Old leather good, 116p., leading edges chewed at margins, slight damage to title page & 15p., part of the balance only the margin chewed, text readable, solid. EXCEPTIONALLY RARE & FIRST & ONLY EARLY ENGLISH LANGUAGE ED. *** *** *** . . . A LEGENDARY AND FAMOUS EARLY BOOK. . . THE FIRST EUROPEAN ACCOUNT OF CHINA . THE FIRST EUROPEAN ACCOUNT OF CHINA: This work was authored by Johann Grueber [1623-1680], and compiled by Count Lorenzo Magalotti [1637-1712]. . Other authors were Viaggio del P. Giovanni tornando per terea da China in Europa, Albert Orville comte d' [1621-1662], Melchisedec Thevenot [1620-1692]. . *** THE SUBTITLE: continued "Lately Returned From That Country, Written and Published by the French Kings Cosmographer and Now Englished: The Other, Containing The Most Remarkable Passages Of The Reign And Life Of The Present French King, Lewis The Fourteenth, And Of The Valour Of Our English In His Armies." . CO-AUTHORS: Albert ORVILLE Comte d', Melchisedec THEVENOT, Conte Lorenzo MAGALOTTI. . *** TWO TITLES BOUND IN ONE VOLUME: The first treatise is an account compiled by Count Lorenzo Magalotti of the travels of Johann Grueber and Albert d'Orville. It was translated into French by Melchisedech Thevot, that translation subsequently being rendered into English See B.M. below. . The second treatise has special title page, dated 1675, a reproduction of the original in Yale University library. . *** THE FIRST EUROPEAN ACCOUNT OF CHINA: It is said that this is the first European account of China, and perhaps the earliest account in English. . *** THE FIRST TITLE: An account of two Jesuits taken from the letters of Johann Grueber and Albert Le Compte Corville, and no doubt from works of Thevenot, Kircher and the like. The two Jesuits had traveled via Siam [Xian], Sining, Shamo, Lhasa and Nepal into India, in 1661-1662, because the Dutch had closed the sea route. They were the first Europeans in Lhasa. . *** The first book concerns early China: government, customs, manners of the inhabitants of China, compiled by two Jesuits. This title has 116 pages in all, published 1676, a very early account of China first presented to France. This work precedes Lord George Macartney's famous diplomatic visit to China in 1792-1794 by some sixteen years. China was not yet opened to foreign trade nor did it have any Treaty Ports. . SUBTITLE: cont. FROM THAT COUNTREY. Written & Published by the French King's Cosmographer & Now Englished Co-authors: Lorenzo Conte Magalotti, Albert Orville et al. . *** THE SECOND TITLE: Bound together with a second title : THE MOFT REMARKABLE PASSAGES OF THE LIFE & REIGN OF LEWIS XIV THE PREFENT KING IN FRANCE. London 1675, Lownds, 220p. . *** THE FULL LEATHER BINDING: Bound in full old original calfskin. . *** BOOK SIZE: This book is: 8.5 x 14 cm., with marbled endpapers, that were reinforced from the verso. . *** CONDITION: The title page has been neatly restored by re-backing, using acid-free Japanese Washi hand-made paper and rice glue, minor text loss. Recent Washi endpapers. Text paper browned, right edge partially chewed away [mouse ?]. The first 80 pages right margin chewed away, some minor text loss, paper brittle in some places, sold "as is" only, not refundable. Please ask questions, please also review the scans posted to our website. . *** RARITY: This is the FIRST AND ONLY RARE edition of the book in English. This book is exceptionally rare, seldom coming to market in any condition. . *** REFERENCES: . [MORRISON, G.[orge] E.[rnest]. CATALOGUE OF THE ASIATIC LIBRARY OF DR. G.E. MORRISON. NOW A PART OF THE ORIENTAL LIBRARY TOKYO, JAPAN, p.102. * BM 1447. Listed under Grueber. * Wessels ch. Vi. * Nuc. * Wing 2nd. ed. G2163. * TWO ERRORS IN COX: COX, Edward G. A REFERENCE GUIDE TO THE LITERATURE OF TRAVEL: Including Voyages, Geographical Descriptions, Adventures, Shipwrecks and Expeditions, see p.327. Cox mistakenly listed this as 1675, actual correct date is 1676, this is clearly printed on the title page. Other bibliograpies also cite 1676. Cox also missed the author's name, again clearly stated on title page. * LUST, John. WESTERN BOOKS ON CHINA PUBLISHED UP TO 1850, p.2, #5. * H. Cordier. BIBLIOTHECA SINICA DICTIONNAIRE BIBLIOGRAPHIQUE DES OUVRAGES RELATIFS A L'EMPIRE CHINOIS: column 2903. * Listed in WorldCat: 1676 http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=ti%3ACHINA+AND+FRANCE%2C+OR +TWO+TREATISES.+THE+ONE%2C+OF+THE+PRESENT&qt=advanced&dblist =638 . *** !! NOT IN: [BOYNTON, Edith C.]: LIBRARY COLLEGE OF CHINESE STUDIES COOPERATING WITH CALIFORNIA COLLEGE IN CHINA. nor in Supplement 1. * TAYLOR, Louise M. comp. CATALOG OF BOOKS ON CHINA IN THE ESSEX INSTITUTE. *** .