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Pennant, Thomas.
A Tour in Scotland MDCCLXIX [with] A Tour in Scotland MDCCLXXII Part I [and] Part II.
Publisher: Printed for Benj. White, London;
Date of Publication: 1790
Stock Code: 12004
Fifth Edition. Quarto, pp., vi, 400; [2], vii, [1], 440; [2], iv, 487, [1]. With engraved title-page, large folding map to fore and 42 numbered plates as called for to ‘Tour’; copper engraved title-pages, 44 plates to 1772 Part I and 45 to Part II as called for, of which 7 and 4 respectively are fold-out. Superb mid 19th century full tree calf with 5 raised bands, gilt titles to red labels to spine and gilt decoration to compartments; double gilt fillet to boards; all edges stained red; marbled endpapers.

Some minor offsetting from plates otherwise contents clean, with minimal marginal annotation in pencil and no inscriptions. Paper repair effected to 9cm tear to verso of map in 1769 volume; several minor splits at folds of both large folding maps otherwise contents clean, with no annotation or inscriptions. A handsome, well preserved set. Pennant (1726-98) was a Welsh naturalist and antiquarian, regarded as an authority in his time and cited by Thomas Bewick in his “History of British Birds”; numerous marine species were named in his honour. The 1769 tour of Scotland was mainly to the Highlands, then little known to outsiders, where Pennant relied upon local knowledge of natural history; for the complementary 1772 tour he was accompanied by specialists in botany, Gaelic and art and visited the Hebrides for the first time. His tours into Scotland inspired Samuel Johnson to follow in his footsteps, and his work was well received and highly regarded both in his lifetime and beyond. Pennant went on to tour other areas of the British Isles, and the tours through the North of England were published posthumously. Heavyweight so a contribution towards increased postage costs will be requested for overseas delivery.

£950.00