The History of Java.

An exceptionally bright and fresh copy of the second edition with the Bohn atlas. Originally published in 1817 in an edition of 900 copies, the book quickly sold out. A second edition was immediately planned but due to unfortunate circumstances it did not appear until 1830. A number of drawings by Captain Baker and other draughtsmen were not included in the first edition and these were assembled by Lady Raffles for publication in the second edition. Thus the work increased in size from 66 to 96 plates. When Bohn re-issued the atlas he omitted the 4 uncoloured aquatints by Daniell which were included in Lady Raffles' Memoir (1830).

Raffles was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Java in September 1811, which was a difficult position because of the large population, the many independent chiefs, and the fact that his government was subordinate to the governor-general in Bengal, to whom he had to apply for funds. However he set to his task with great industry, remodelling most areas of government, travelling extensively throughout Java and collecting information about the peoples, customs, geology etc., and by the end of June 1812 the whole of Java came under British rule. Lord Minto, Governor-General of India, adjudged Raffles 'a very clever, able, active and judicious man, perfectly versed in the Malay language and manners', but he is chiefly remembered for securing for Britain the maritime supremacy of the eastern seas. Raffles was Lieutenant-Governor until 1816 and founded the city state of Singapore in 1819.

Contributions on the island's botany and geology were made by Thomas Horsfield, and chapters on Java's antiquities and temples, literature, history and economics were made by Indonesian, Dutch and British experts on Indonesia. Raffles's work was patterned on William Marsden's The History of Sumatra, 1811, but was intended to contrast British benevolence with the 'tyrannical and rapacious' policies of the Dutch.

The typography and fine illustrations are exceptional, and the work was judged by John Bastin, bibliographer of Indonesia, to be 'one of the most important and influential books about Indonesia ever published'.

Second edition of text volumes, 2 vols 8vo (23 x 15 cm), third edition of atlas, 4to (33 x 26 cm); large folding map, 92 engraved plates including 10 hand-coloured, these and many of the other plates after William Daniell, exceptionally clean and fresh; uniformly bound in later half calf, marbled boards, spine gilt in six compartments with gilt black morocco lettering pieces, a fine set.

Abbey (Travel), 554; Tooley 391; Hill I, 245 (for Bohn re-issue of plates); Bastin & Brommer 81.