FORSTER (George).

A Voyage Round the World in His Britannic Majesty's Sloop, Resolution, Commanded by Captain James Cook, during the Years 1772, 3, 4 and 5.

First edition. 2 vols. Large folding engraved map of the South Pole. 4to. Contemporary hatched russia rebacked, with red morocco label to spines; title page of vol. I being a cancel mounted on the stub of the fourth leaf. xx, 601, [2]; [iv], 607pp. London, 1777.

£5,500.00

The younger Forster’s version preceded Cook’s official account by six weeks; it is a substantial work and was produced at great speed to rival Cook’s official account.

On his return to London a furious quarrel developed between Forster and Sandwich over the former’s contribution to the official history, which was deemed unworthy of publication without substantial correction. The author, outraged at this slight determined that his son (who as an unpaid civilian was outside the official ban on memoirs) bring out a rival account in similar format to that proposed by Cook. Forster’s is an essential adjuct to the literature of the second voyage, it came out in March 1776 three months or so after Marra’s octavo. A full account of the circumstances of the publication, its qualities and defects, can be found in Beaglehole vol. II ppcxlviii-clii. Hill, p108; Holmes, 23; Sabin, 25130.

Stock No.
189758