Small 4to. xiv, 241 pp., 6 copper plates of which 5 are folding after designs by James Stuart, translated from French, tan full calf, professionally repaired & rebacked, title gilt on decorated spine, gilt ruled front & back sides, marbled end papers, edges slightly rubbed, light foxing mainly back of plates, otherwise copy in very good condition, written by an Italian Gentleman, printed by J. Davis for R. Faulder, London, 1793.

Synopsis

First English edition, five of the views are engraved after drawings by James Stuart and Nicolas Revett. The first edition appears to be that of 1791 (in French), published in London. these Stuart and Revett plates appear only in this edition.
Setting out from Palermo, Bisani travelled through Malta, Sardinia, Salonica and Greece to Constantinople, returning via Gibraltar, Tunisia and southern France. About Bisani, known to the English edition of the Letters as ‘Italian Gentleman’, nothing is known. An Italian original of the work does not exist. In all likelihood, it is a fictitious journey “(Ch) –
Bibliographic references: Chatzipanagioti Sang-Master 66 – Pine-Coffin 788.2. Blackmer 146 – See Pescarzoli 117.