LESCHEVIN (Philippe-Xavier). Voyage à Genève et dans la vallée de Chamouni en Savoie; ayant pour objet les sciences, les arts, l'histoire, le commerce, l'industrie, les mœurs des habitans, etc, etc. Paris, A. A. Renouard ; Genève, Guers, 1812. In-12, half calf binding with corners, smooth spine decorated with gilt title, painted edges. (Contemporary binding, very rubbed, spines cracked, headpieces damaged). First edition, with Saussure's portrait-frontispiece engraved by Fontanals after Saint-Ours. A study tour in which the author, with encyclopaedic curiosity, took an interest in a wide range of subjects, including the public library, natural history collections, the draughtsmen, painters and engravers of Geneva, the antiquities of the region, customs, etc. The (rather flattering) assessments of Bourrit are of the greatest interest. Leschevin was undoubtedly the first traveller to take an interest in the entries made in the registers available to travellers. The introduction to this work contains a bibliography of books relating to Mont Blanc and the Chamonix valley (61 references). Armorial bookplate Joseph Granville Stuart Goff pasted on the flyleaf. Ex-libris Peter Obergfell pasted on the flyleaf. Fresh inside. Philippe-Xavier Leschevin de Précour (Versailles 1771 - Dijon 1814) was a mineralogist, archaeologist and historian. He was Commissaire des poudres et salpêtres in Dijon (see obituary by C. N. Amenton in the Journal de la Côte d'Or, extract from the sheets of 17 and 30 July 1814). Perret, 2646 - Regards sur les Alpes 28-C, Meckly 111 - Montagnier - Wäber I, 169 - Coolidge 82 - ACL p. 190 - CAS p. 471 - CAI p. 64