Important collection with fine maps. Valuable collection of voyages to the South Pacific which aimed to stimulate French discovery and colonisation of the South Seas.

With leaves 437*-450* bound in vol. II (containing the details of the discoveries of the Dutch in Australasia, not always present). This important work was compiled by Charles de Brosses, the noted historian and contributor to Diderot's Encyclopedie; John Callandar based much of his three-volume compendium of voyages in 1766 on de Brosses's summary of Pacific voyages to date. This thorough collection is one of the outstanding works on the early voyages of exploration to Australasia, 1502-1764, during which navigators touched on the supposed southern continent of Magellanica. In three parts (Magellanie, Australasie, and Polynesie), it covers the voyages of Vespucci, Magellan, Drake, Sarmiento, Hawkins, Quiros, Noort, Spilbergen, Nodal, Schouten, Dampier, Roggeveen, Anson and others. De Brosses's goal in publishing this history of voyages was to stimulate French discovery and colonization in the South Seas, and included the proposition that France should settle Australia as a penal colony.

First edition. 2 vols, 4to, xiv, 463, [v]; 514, [ii], pp., 7 engraved folding maps (of which 6 by Robert de Vaugondy, including the world map centred on the Pacific), fine contemporary French 'cats paw' calf, spines richly gilt, brown and red morocco lettering-pieces, complete with all errata leaves and the * leaves, scattered light foxing volume II, a very good set.

Hill, 190; Kroepelien, 132; Landwehr, VOC, 270; Sabin, 8388; Spence, 190.