William Henry Smyth (1788-1865)
Memoir Descriptive of the Resources, Inhabitants, and Hydrography of Sicily and its Islands. London: J. Murray, 1824.
First edition, extra-illustrated with 16 coloured aquatints from Achille Etienne Gigault de la Salle's Select Views in Sicily (London, 1825), and with an autograph letter signed by Smyth to the hydrographer Sir Francis Beaufort, 11 May 1830. Although unsigned, the plates in Smyth's books were executed by William Daniell. Major Abbey's copy had hand-coloured plates, but his bibliographic entry states, 'No other copy has been traced in this state', and the plates here are plain. However, to complement them, the first 16 finely-coloured aquatints from Gigault de la Salle's book on Sicily are bound in (see Abbey Travel 264). Loosely inserted, Smyth's letter to Beaufort discusses his surprise at the printing of an 'intrusive' prospectus for an unnamed learned society (almost certainly the future Royal Geographical Society, which Smyth, Beaufort and others founded that year): Smyth implies in the letter that he is thinking of withdrawing from the project ('I must avoid the odium of "self constituted" meddling'), but considers its success assured ('I shall view, with sincere pleasure, the establishment of so serviceable a society'). Abbey Travel 263; Pine-Coffin 821/3.

Quarto (270 x 212mm). Folding engraved map and 15 aquatint plates on 13 sheets by William Daniell (without half-title, folding map spotted, occasional light scattered spotting and some even light browning). Contemporary calf (rebacked, extremities faintly rubbed).

James (?bookseller's code and price of £2/2/- with a date of 1792 on flyleaf) – Charles Chatfield (armorial bookplate) – Lt Cdr Andrew David (bookplate).

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