COXE, William. Sketches of the Natural, Civil, and Political State of Swisserland in a Series of Letters to William Melmoth. London, J. Dodsley, 1779.
8vo. Contemporary half-calf over marbled boards, spine ruled in gilt and with red morocco lettering-piece; pp. viii, 532, [2]; apart from very light offsetting from endpapers and spotting to title, as well as minimal browning to a few pages, a well-preserved and clean copy.
First edition of an epistolary travelogue of Switzerland in the 1770s. Pages 286 to 295 describe a visit to the 'glacier of Montenvers' and the use of 'a long pole spiked with iron' and crampons. Also an attempt on Mont Blanc by 'four inhabitants of Chamouny'.
Perret 1159 'Un des ouvrages de voyages en Suisse les plus classiques de la fin du XVIII siècle'.
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