LE GENTIL DE LA GALAISIÈRE Guillaume Voyage dans les mers de l’Inde, fait par ordre du Roi, à l’occasion du passage de Vénus, sur le disque du soleil, le 6 juin 1761, & le 3 du même mois 1769.

Chadenat, 620; Tavera, 1510; Grandidier, 3090; D.S.B., VIII, 143-145; voir Sabin, 38398 (for the German translation of 1781).

First edition.

During his studies in Paris, Le Gentil (1725-1792) made the acquaintance of Jacques Cassini and G.D. Maraldi, and was admitted to the Académie des Sciences in 1749 thanks to his astronomical research. Sent to India by the Académie des Sciences to observe the transit of Venus, Le Gentil was unable to reach Pondicherry because of the war with the English. He made a few observations in Mauritius and decided to wait for the next transit of Venus eight years later, taking advantage of his long stay in the Indian Ocean to study the tides, monsoons, natural history, astronomy and Indian religion. His book is packed with information on Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion and the Philippines: “es un libro muy importante… Trae… la memoria que escribio el Arzobispo Roxo relativa al asalto de Manilla por el ejercito ingles” (Tavera).

“The turning point in Le Gentil’s career was his commission to observe the 1761 transit of Venus at Pondicherry, India. Because the English had captured that settlement just as he arrived in 1760, Le Gentil was obliged to witness the transit from shipboard, without any possibility for scientifically significant observations. Since another transit of Venus was to take place in 1769, Le Gentil resolved to remain in the East in order to complete his mission… Le Gentil’s major work was the two-volume Voyage dans les mers d’Inde. The first volume was devoted to India and, after a discussion of the customs and religion of its inhabitants, dealt at considerable length with the history of Brahman astronomy… The second volume was devoted to the Philippines, Madagascar, and the Mascarenes” (DSB).

A very good copy, complete with the 27 plates required showing maps, constellations, views, religious objects, flora, fauna, etc.

Some leaves toned or with small stains.

Provenance: F.E. Lauber (bookplate).