BOURRIT Marc Théodore Descriptions des cols, ou Passages des Alpes.

Boucher de La Richarderie, II, 464 ; Quérard, I, 475 ; Brunet, I, 1182 (note).

First edition.

This last work by Marc-Théodore Bourrit (1739-1819) is a synthesis of his earlier works as he explains in the preface “L’ouvrage que je présente est donc nouveau et remplace les précédents : il est le fruit de plusieurs années de courses, et je me flatte qu’il répondra au désir des savans comme à celui des simples amateurs des beautés de la nature”.. It includes an account of his attempt to climb Mont Blanc with Woodley and Camper in August 1788, in which he falsely claims to have reached the summit. Other chapters are devoted to the natural history of the Alps, insects and butterflies in particular. The table of contents is preceded by general instructions ‘on how to travel to the glaciers’ and includes advice on clothing (e.g. ‘an umbrella is useful’) as well as an exhaustive list giving the names of 21 renowned guides.

The four plates (including the frontispiece), drawn and engraved by the author, depict the Bossons glacier, Montenvers, the Arveyron ice cave and Mont-Blanc.

Small portion of endpaper paper torn, light waterstain on the first 3 leaves.