BARROW (John). Voyage à la Cochinchine, par les îles de Madère, de Ténériffe, et du Cap Verd, le Brésil et l'île de Java, contenant des Renseignemens nouveaux et authenthiques sur l'Etat naturel et civil de ces divers Pays; accompagné de la Relation officielle d'un Voyage au pays des Boushouanas, dans l'intérieur de l'Afrique australe. Paris: Arthus-Bertrand, 1807. - 2 volumes in-8, 200 x 118 and an atlas in-4, 280 x 212: xiv, 406 pp, (1 f.); (2 ff.), 371 pp; (2 ff.), 18 plates. Rooted calf, gilt ribbon framing the boards, smooth spine decorated with gilt leaves and flowers, gilt ribbon inside, gilt edges (period binding). First edition of the translation by the geographer Conrad Malte-Brun (1775-1826) of the account of the voyage to Cochinchina by the traveller and geographer John Barrow (1764-1848), then attached to the British embassy in China led by Lord Macartney. In his translation, Malte-Brun makes significant changes and additions, both in terms of content and form. In the fifth chapter, devoted to Brazil, he discarded a digression on the freedom of blacks and the expedition to Saint-Domingue, which he judged to have no new contribution, with the exception of an extract from a proclamation by Dessalines, emperor of Haiti. This text, although faithfully quoted, was criticised for its violent tone and accusations against Napoleon and Leclerc. Malte-Brun justified this deletion by the desire to spare the reader unnecessary declamations, while reaffirming his independence of mind with regard to Barrow's opinions. In place of these developments, Malte-Brun inserts a memoir on Brazil, based on the best Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch sources, which he presents as the most complete and reliable supplement ever published on this country. The description of Cochinchina, which occupies the last three chapters, is the heart of Barrow's work. Malte-Brun, recognising the richness and accuracy of this account, made no changes to it, apart from adding a few details taken from Loureiro's Portuguese memoirs and Valentyn's immense Dutch work, sources that were not easily accessible and which Barrow had not been able to consult. A complete copy of the atlas comprising 18 plates including a "Sketch of the city and port of Rio de Janeiro", a map of southern Africa, two coloured botanical engravings and various views, all engraved by P. F. Tardieu. A fine copy, very well preserved. Old label of a private library at the top of the spines.