8vo. xvii, 718 pp., chromolithographic frontispiece, 1 large folding map, numerous woodcuts in text, 11 chromolithograph plates, contemporary cloth,marbled endpapers, title gilt on raised spine, all edges gilt, index, book plate of Paola & Bertrand Lazard verso front cover, light foxing to inner margin of title page, otherwise copy clean & in very good condition, Nelson & Sons, London, 1878.

Synopsis

William Thomson was a missionary, who lived in Syria for 45 years. Although he wrote a few other works, this was his magnum opus and was published many times after the initial edition of 1859. “Frequently revised during his lifetime, this exhaustive account of Palestinian life and landscape (intended elucidate scripture) was an immense best seller in 19th century America, second only to the Bible, and spawned a host of imitations”. [Bevis p. 202].