LETTERS FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN; containing a civil and political account of Sicily, Tripoly [sic], Tunis, and Malta: with biographical sketches, anecdotes and observations, illustrative of the present state of those countries, by BLAQUIERE, Edward.: - 1813

London, printed for Henry Colburn; and sold by George Goldie, Edinburgh and John Cumming, Dublin, 1813.. and their relative situation with respect to the British Empire ... FIRST EDITION 1813, 2 volumes, complete set, 8vo, approximately 210 x 1230 mm, 8¼ x 5 inches, folding map frontispiece in each volume, pages: xviii, [4], [2] 3-652; [6], [1]-460, pages 525/526 misplaced before page 523, bound in half calf over original paper boards, raised bands, gilt rules and gilt lettering to spines, edges speckled red. Bindings stained and slightly worn, repair to head of spine on Volume I, tiny chip to upper corner of upper cover on Volume I, another to head of spine on Volume II, armorial bookplate of Captain George B. Martin, R.N. on both front pastedowns, maps age-browned with light offsetting plus offset to title pages, Volume 1 has pale staining and shallow creasing to top margins, very occasional pale brown spotting to text, small blank piece missing from 2 lower corners, small closed tear to top margin of pages 147 and 149 neatly repaired, not affecting text, a small pale damp stain to lower inner corner in Volume II from front endpaper to page 18, recurring from page 433 to the final page, brown stain to bottom of inner margins of rear endpapers and pastedown of Volume 2. A good set, bindings tight and firm but worn. Contents: Sicily (17 Letters, pages 3-652); Tripoli i.e. Libya (5 Letters, pages 1-132); Tunis (5 Letters, pages 135-268); Malta (4 Letters, pages 271-397) plus conclusion and Appendix. Edward Blaquiere, (17791832), Irish author and philhellene of Huguenot descent, entered the navy in 1794, and received his first commission as a lieutenant in 1801. He served in the British navy throughout the Napoleonic wars on various ships and especially in the Mediterranean. This was his first book reflecting his experiences and providing accounts of life and politics in the Mediterranean region especially in Sicily, Tripoli, Tunis, and Malta, (ODNB). MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING, ALL ZOOMABLE. FURTHER IMAGES ON REQUEST. POSTAGE AT COST.