The edition of Poivre’s works referred to by Vaughan,
augmentée d’une Notice sur la vie de l’auteur (
par Dupont de Nemours) had been published in Paris in 1786.
Pierre Poivre, 1719-1786, originally intended to be a missionary, and first set sail for China and Cochinchina in 1720.
[
sic
--
Ed.
] He had a life full of travel and adventure and was taken as a prisoner of war more than once. He became governor of the isles
of France and Bourbon, and transplanted seeds and plants from the East to the West. The first edition of this book was printed
in Yverdon in 1768.
[3931]
11
Compendio de las historias de la India oriental por de la Puente.
p. 4
to.
1815 Catalogue, page 120, no. 144, as above.
MARTINEZ DE LA PUENTE,
José.
Compendio de las Historias de los Descvbrimientos, Conqvistas, y Gverras de la India Oriental, y sus Islas, desde los Tiempos
del Infante Don Enrique de Portugal su inventor, hermano del Rey D. Duarte; hasta los del Rey D. Felipe II. de Portugal, y
III. de Castilla. Y la Introdvccion del Comercio Portugues en las Malucas, y sus operaciones Politicas, y Militares en ellas.
Hecho, y añadida vna Descripcion de la India, y sus Islas y de las Costas de Africa, por donde se començò la Nauegacion del
mar del Sur; sus riquezas, costumbres de sus gentes, y otras cosas notables. Y dedicado al Grande, al Portentoso Portvgves
San Antonio de Padva. Por D. Ioseph Martinez de la Pvente. Con Privilegio.
En
Madrid: En
la Imprenta Imperial: Por la Viuda de
Ioseph Fernandez de Buendia, Año de
1681.
DS411.7 .M5
First Edition. 4to. 216 leaves, title printed in red and black.
Palau V, 87.
Sabin 44953.
Boucher de la Richarderie V, 19.
A copy of this book, described as being in 8vo (probably intended for this edition which is a small quarto) is on a receipted
bill for Spanish books bought for Jefferson by Thomas Barclay, at the time in Madrid, through William Carmichael, the American
consul in that city, in May, 1786, price
30., the receipt signed by Peter Lyonnet. In his undated manuscript catalogue Jefferson has translated this into American money:
30. reals =
1 1/2 Doll.
In a letter to Jefferson (at the time in Paris) dated from Madrid March 29, 1785, Carmichael wrote:
“Before I execute the Commission you have given me to purchase you a collection of Spanish Voyages &c &c. I must previously inform you that, most of the books you mention are very scarce here & consequently very Dear. I have given a list to Sanchez a famous Bookseller with a request that he would note the pricese at which they may be procured. I have engaged Bayer a great Antiquarian to write to Valentia & Valladolid to know whether they may not be procured on more reasonable terms in these Cities. He also has promised to Add to the List such others as may be worth your Attention. I have several of the most curious in my possession, which are at your service. . . .”
In a letter written from Aranjuez on April 19, little more than two weeks later Carmichael mentioned:
“I have not yet been able to procure an acct. of the Price of the Books you wished me to procure you. They are in general scarce, & you will be surprized at the price demanded for such as I have been able to discover.”
Sir Joseph Banks,1743-1820, English botanist and naturalist, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1766, and in 1778, after the death of Sir John Pringle, the President of the Society, was elected to that office. His great friend was Daniel Solander, q.v., who had been a pupil of Linnaeus and an assistant librarian at the British Museum, and they both accompanied Captain Cook on his expedition round the world on the Endeavour.
José Martinez de la Puente, Spanish historian of the seventeenth century, concerning whose life little seems to be known. This work relates to Portuguese
enterprise in the East, and chapter six of the first book contains an account of the discovery of the Molucca Islands, the
Philippines and New Guinea.
[3932]
12
Capper on the passage to India thro’ Egypt.
8
vo.
1815 Catalogue, page 120, no. 153, as above.
CAPPER,
James.
Observations on the Passage to India, through Egypt. Also by Vienna through Constantinople to Aleppo, and from thence by Bagdad,
and directly across the Great Desert, to Bassora. With Occasional Remarks on the adjacent Countries, an Account of the different
Stages, and Sketches of the several Routes in four Copper Plates. By James Capper, Esq; . . . The
Third Edition, with Alterations and Additions.
London: Printed for
W. Faden, Geographer to the King;
J. Robson; and
R. Sewell,
m dcc lxxxv
. [1785.]
