Second voyage du père Tachard et des jesuites envoyez par le roy au royaume de Siam. Contenant diverses remarques d'histoire, de physique, de géographie, & d'astronomie.

4to: [8]-416-[12] pp. (title sl. soiled, some spotting & browning throughout, paper flaw on p. 25 without harm, pp. 303/304, probably blank, not present as in other copies).

Contemp. quarter calf, marbled paper on covers, flat gilt-ruled spine (joints split, def. to head and tail). Large-margined copy.

First edition of the second travel account by the French missionary Tachard (1651-1712), who was first sent to the Caribbean and then twice to the Kingdom of Siam by Louis XIV to establish diplomatic relations. Ill. with an engr. portrait medallion on title, an engr. headp. and 6 fold. pl. showing the fauna and flora, a.o. a pangolin. The Jesuits were authorized to preach Christianity in Siam and Tachard remained in the country while the mission continued to China. In 1687, Tachard returned to France with the ambassador of Siam who made an offer of "eternal alliance" to Louis XIV. Tachard then was part of the important expedition which brought the ambassador back to Siam, but nationalist movements led to the end of the reign of the Siamese king. Tachard, however, continued to travel back and forth between France and Siam and India where he died in 1712.
Ref. Cordier, Indosinica, 953. - Cox I:328. - Chadenat 187. - DBS VII:1802. - Nissen (ZBI) 4067.