The Modern Traveller, part 4 (5-vol. EP set) - Tapa dura

This is the fourth part of a successful facsimile series which reprints The Modern Traveller, originally published in 30 volumes between 1825 and 1829. Edited by Josiah Conder, the editor of journals like The Eclectic Review or The Patriot, The Modern Traveller was a successful series of travel books published just prior to Britain’s transport revolution which saw the development and rapid expansion of roads and railways. Reflecting Britain’s imperial ambitions and the expansion of its Empire around the globe, the series had global range, including coverage of the Middle East, Africa, North & South America, and Asia. It provided general readers with the latest information on each country’s geography, history, political situation, culture, customs, major cities, travel routes along historic sites, scenic spots, and so on.

Each volume contains illustrations and foldout maps which are all faithfully reproduced in the reprint. The fourth part of the series is from the 20th to the 25th volume. It covers Africa and North America, which were both of geopolitical and of commercial interests to Britain in the early nineteenth-century, particularly in view of the slavery trade. Including very interesting descriptions and pre-Victorian British views of the area, these newly available volumes are a valuable source for any researcher interested in the history of the relationships between Britain and those new continents.