Anson's A Voyage Round the World - Volume with 3 Engraved Maps

Artist or Author: George Anson

Work: A Voyage Round the World in the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV ... by George Anson, Esq; Commander In Chief of a Squadron of His Majesty's Ships, Sent upon an Expedition to the South-Seas

Date of Publication: 1756

Style: Volume with 3 Engraved Maps

Paper Size: ~ 7 7/8" by 4 1/2"

Condition: The work is in very good to excellent condition overall. There are some closed tears to the folding maps mostly near the folds from handling with archival tape repairs. There is some light staining and worming to the last 10 leaves. There may be a few minor imperfections or faint marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.

Description of the work:

This book is George Anson's A Voyage Round the World in the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV ... by George Anson, Esq; Commander In Chief of a Squadron of His Majesty's Ships, Sent upon an Expedition to the South-Seas. The work was published in London in 1756 for T. Osborne and J. Shipton.

The book is bound in modern half calf over green cloth, gilt lettered red leather spine labels. It includes three folding maps. The work is an account of Anson's famous circumnavigation of the world. It is considered a "masterpiece of descriptive travel" and was the "most popular book of maritime adventure of the eighteenth century." (Hill)

Anson's voyage inspired a great age of British voyages in the Pacific including Captain Cook's travels. Anson's circumnavigation was strictly a military expedition though, and its intent was to disrupt Spanish commerce. "Anson’s voyage is remembered as a classic tale of endurance and leadership in the face of fearful disasters, but to the British public of 1744 it was the treasure of the galleon, triumphantly paraded through the streets of London, which did something to restore national self-esteem battered by an unsuccessful war." (ODNB)

“This famous and unfortunate expedition, consisting at the start of eight ships, was sent under the command of George Anson at the beginning of the war with Spain, to harass the Spaniards on the western coast of South America. Seven ships were lost around Cape Horn and on the coast of Chile and out of 900 men, 600 perished. The primary object of the expedition was not attained, but by the capture of the Manila Galleon near China, Anson and the surviving members of his crew reached England much the richer. This account is the official one… It is a model of what such literature should be.” (Cox I, 49)