A copy of the first edition of O'Brien's Ceylon with later hand-colouring. O'Brien was employed as Assistant Surveyor in Ceylon, a position which gave him ample opportunity to collect information and make studies for this book. His manner of working was legendary: R.W. Jenkins in Ceylon in the Fifties and Eighties (1886) notes that 'with his famous 'magazine' or huge flasks of raw brandy over one shoulder, and another flask over the other shoulder for the drinking mixture (with water), a tin of sardines and some biscuits in his pocket, he did many a good day's work at a good old age'.

The views are as follows: St. Paul's Church, Kandy (title); Town and lake of Kandy; The Malagawa temple, Kandy; Thuparamaya Dagoba; Ruins at Pallanarrua; Adam's Peak from the Ambogammoa road at Pusbage; Adam's Peak from the Yatteantotte road; Ferry on the road from Manaar to Colombo; The Talipat in flower; Group of palms at the entrance to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Paradinia; Peacock Hill coffee estate - Gampola in the distance; Falls at Rangbodde; Nuera Ellia; Oovah country and Happotella; Fort and harbour of Colombo; Fort of Galle, from Peninsular and Oriental Company's station on Closenberg island. The work referred to in the title of this book is Sir James Emerson Tennent's Ceylon (1859), which is quoted extensively.

First edition; folio (53.5 x 36.5 cm), hand-coloured lithographed title with vignette, dedication leaf, 15 later hand-coloured lithographed plates by Needham after O'Brien, each with accompanying text leaf, list of plates, edge of dedication leaf repaired; light wear to margins and a few repairs). Publisher's reddish-brown cloth, upper cover lettered in gilt, rebacked, new endpapers, some leaves sprung.

De Silva (Early Prints of Ceylon), p. 225ff.