Small 8vo. vi, 342 pp., / 423 pp., translated from Italian, contemporary marbled full calf, scuffed in places, spine-label chipped, speckled edges, light damp stain affecting margins of 3 leaves in volume 1, occasional spotting, otherwise copy in very good condition, La Société Typographique, Neuwied, second French edition, 1791.

Synopsis

Translated from the Italian edition in 9 volumes published between 1769 and 1776, Viaggi per l’Isola di Cipro, e per la Soria e Palestina. The French translation contains an account of the wines of Cyprus drawn from Mariti’s monograph on the subject. Mariti spent seven years in Cyprus, at Larnaca, where Turner, the British consul, who also represented Tuscany, placed him in charge of various interests, with the title of vice-consul. Mariti spoke both Turkish and Arabic very well. He returned to Italy after eight years in the Levant (1760–68). Volume I contains the most complete account of Cyprus up to that time, including its history, geography, antiquities, and a great deal of information on the economic life of the island. Volume II contains descriptions of Syria and Palestine, with a chapter on the current state of the Greek church. A very interesting work.
Bibliographic references: Blackmer 1079; Blackmer speculates that this edition is a piracy, published the same year as the first French edition (Paris); Tobler, p. 132-3; Atabey 770; Weber, 542-3 of other editions.