Les îles Marquises ou Lettres curieuses sur l'histoire, les moeurs et les usages de ces îles et de l'Océanie orientale. Deuxième édition.

2 parts in 1 vol., 16mo (n.c., foxing and some large marg. spotting).

Mod. half brown cloth, marbled paper covers, flat spine with title label, yellow edges (some sl. rubbing).

Scarce second edition, first published in the same year in Paris, of a work on the Marquesas Islands written in form of letters by the Father Gracia (1801-1876), from the Picpus congregation. The author was sent as missionary to the Marquesas from 1838 until 1842. During his mission he collected extensive information on the history, the people, their culture, the politics, religion, etc. of the islands.
Ref. Chadenat 1359 (1st ed.).
Prov. Victor Bertrand (contemp. ms. entry).
Bound with: [La Grandville, Marie-Caroline de] - Voyage aux Pyrénées, par l'auteur, des Souvenirs de voyage. Ibid. 2 parts (same cond.). Voyage from Chartres to the Pyrénées in which the Countess de La Grandville (1793-1865) describes the monuments, the history, evokes important figures of the cities she passed through. The 1st ed. was published in Lille in 1840 under title "De la Loire aux Pyrénées, lettres suivies de quelques fragments" and was often reprinted under the same title as our copy or "Retour aux Pyrénées". Ref. Barbier IV:1062. - Perret 2524. - De Le Court 986.