The Life of Captain James Cook by Andrew Kippis
Published by H. Chamberlaine, W. Colles, et al. in Dublin in 1788. First Dublin edition, first printing. In beautiful tooled and blind stamped half leather over marbled paper covered boards. Spine with gilt bands and a gilt lettered leather label. All edges mottled. Missing frontispiece of Captain Cook otherwise collated and complete. Octavo. 7.25” x 5.25”
Overall Condition: VERY GOOD
Captain James Cook FRS (7 November [O.S. 27 October] 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, cartographer and naval officer famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean and to New Zealand and Australia in particular. He made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making three voyages to the Pacific, during which he achieved the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands and the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand.
In these voyages, Cook sailed thousands of miles across largely uncharted areas of the globe. He mapped lands from New Zealand to Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean in greater detail and on a scale not previously charted by Western explorers. He surveyed and named features, and recorded islands and coastlines on European maps for the first time. He displayed a combination of seamanship, superior surveying and cartographic skills, physical courage, and an ability to lead men in adverse conditions.
During his third voyage in the Pacific, Cook encountered the Hawaiian islands in 1779. He was killed while attempting to take hostage Kalaniʻōpuʻu, chief of the island of Hawaii, during a dispute.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Kippis (28 March 1725 – 8 October 1795) was an English nonconformist clergyman and biographer. He contributed largely to The Gentleman's Magazine, The Monthly Review and The Library; and he established the New Annual Register. He published sermons and pamphlets; and he prefixed a life to Nathaniel Lardner's Works (1788). He wrote a life prefixed to Philip Doddridge's Exposition of the New Testament (1792).
One of the most acclaimed works by Kippis is about Captain Cook and his voyages. This was first published in 1788 and includes a letter by Kippis to George III of the United Kingdom dated 13 June 1788. The book has accounts of the three voyages – 1768–1771, 1772–1775, and 1776–1779 – as well as an account of the character of James Cook, the effects of his voyages, and a commentary on his services.
CONDITION: VERY GOOD. Binding is square with firm hinges and joints. Gentle and slight bumping to corners which are mostly sharp. Leather is in great condition overall. Rubbing to boards, edges with some paper peeling along the inner edges in spots and a small bruise on the top cover. Prior owner name and date of 1854 in pencil on front pastedown (could be erased if so desired) with some other stray marks. Contents firmly bound and in good crisp condition, generally clean with light toning and scattered spotting, heavier and with some handling marks through first and final quire or two.
Overall, one of the nicest first editions available for sale!
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