during the summer of the year MDCCCX. First edition. 3 maps (1 large folding), 4 folding tables, 8 hand-coloured aquatints, & 6 engravings with 15 woodcuts in the text. 4to. Full diced Russia, rebacked, tooled in gilt and blind, all edges marbled. Exlibris to front pastedown of John Wordie. Scattered spotting, mostly to prelims and a few plates. Overall a very good copy with a sturdy reback. xx, 492pp. Edinburgh, A. Constable & Co., 1811.
The beautifully coloured plates include views of the famous geysers and local costumes. Sir George found that the “extreme slowness of the Icleanders… and the badness of the roads.. occasioned much unlooked-for trouble and delay” during his trip, and forced him to spend much of his time in Reykjavik. Nevertheless the intrepid geologist he did manage to explore some of the island, and included in this work is his theory for the subterranean mechanics of geysers. cf. Abbey (Travel), 160.
