VOYAGE AU CANADA, PENDANT LES ANNEES 1795, 1796 ET 1797, PAR ISAAC WELD, OUVRAGE TRADUIT DE L'ANGLAIS, ET ENRICHI D'UNE CARTE GENERALE DU PAYS, ET DE ONZE PLANCHES, OFFRANT LES POINTS DE VUE, LES PLUS REMARQUABLES, ET NOTAMMENT LE FAMEUX SAUT DE NIAGAR

Pari, 1800. Three volumes. [4],viii,[5]-321pp. plus six plates; 344pp. plus four plates; [4],294pp. plus one plate and a large folding map. Half title in each volume. Contemporary marbled paper-covered boards, gilt leather spine labels. Minor shelf wear, some sunning to spines. Contemporary French bookplate on pastedown of first volume. Internally clean. Very good. The scarce first French translation of Weld's TRAVELS THROUGH THE STATES OF NORTH AMERICA, AND THE PROVINCES OF UPPER AND LOWER CANADA, DURING THE YEARS 1795, 1796, AND 1797. The date on the titlepages is given as "8," referring to the eighth year of the new French Republic after the Revolution. Weld, an Irishman, arrived in Philadelphia in late 1795 at the age of nineteen. His observations during two years of travels through eastern North America and Canada, told through a series of letters, comprise one of the most popular narratives of the day. Story wrote that "his account of Canada (letters 21-25) is a clear and sustained description of an area and a way of life that pleased him more than had the United States." The engraved plates are after sketches by the author. The map shows the east coast of America south through North Carolina and west through the Great Lakes region (with an inset map of the Great Lakes area, as well). TPL 710. HOWES W235. LANDE 890 (ref). CLARK II:132 (ref). GAGNON I:3701 (ref). JCB II:4062 (ref). SABIN 192541 (ref) (Inventory #: WRCAM50821)