Description

12mo [18 x 12 cm]; 418 pages, engraved plates including frontis and views which are new to this edition, where the illustrations list reflects the earlier edition. original blind-stamped blue cloth, gilt spine title lettering and vignette, lightly rubbed, small erasure on endpaper, clean with the original tissue guards for the plates, very good copy. A picture of this book is available upon request by email. "Scientist, explorer and diplomat, Humboldt was the last truly Universal Man. He left his name on the maps of five continents, over a thousand places in the world are named after him and even a crater on the moon bears his name." (Douglas Botting). Humboldt explored little known South America, climbing Chimborazo, the highest known mountain, which made him world famous. He collected a mass of data, which laid the foundation of modern physical geography and established the concept of plant geography. On his return he visited the United States where he became friend and advisor to President Jefferson. Later in his life, in his sixties, he traveled to Siberia, the Ural mountains, Caspian Sea, etc. Macgillivray's book was first published in 1832 but this edition was brought up-to-date with Humboldt's later explorations to the period of his death, and extra material added.