Voyages de Jean Ovington: faits à Surate, et en d'autres lieux de l'Asie et de l'Afrique
Paris: Etienne Ganeau, 1725. 1st Edition. Hardcover. "Having joined the East India Company as a chaplain, Ovington was assigned to the Company's vessel Benjamin for a voyage to the East Indies in 1689. Ovington stopped briefly in Bombay and then settled at Surat for two and a half years. His narrative describes Bombay as a sink of debauchery filled with whores and drunkards. Of Surat Ovington commented at length of the Mughal influence, on religious and cultural characteristics of the Hindus and Parsees, and the nature of the fakeer or Mohammedan religious mendicant. In passing Ovington described and defended the drinking of tea for which he was later attacked by Alexander Hamilton. Of the greatest interest, however, is Ovington's outline of the organization and operation of the English factory at Surat. Of the early narratives, Ovington's possesses greater interest and far wittier prose". (Riddick)
These two volumes, respectively 323 pp and 318 pp, comprise the first French translation from the original English of 1698. Both volumes retain their original calf bindings with tooled and gilt spines, marbled endpapers, and red-stained text block edges. The bindings show wear and Volume I shows loss at the spine ends, but the bindings are intact and unrestored. The contents are remarkably clean, crisp, and bright with no spotting. Item #003940
Price: $600.00