A Voyage Round the World, in the Years MDCCXL, I, II, III, IV. London: for the Author by John and Paul Knapton, 1748. Compiled by Richard Walter. [34], 417 pp. 42 engraved maps and plates, most of which are folding. 4to (290 x 226 mm). Period speckled calf, rebacked, with original spine label. Lacks directions to the binder, pp 417/418 trimmed and mounted, faint dampstain to tail margin of a few plates, some minor staining, but generally internally clean, occasional early marginalia and corrections, light wear to covers.

First edition, subscriber's copy of "the most popular book of maritime adventure in the eighteenth century" (Hill). Although important data was collected for James Lind's study on scurvy, "the progress of science formed no part of this expedition which was prepared for attacking, unawares, the Spanish possessions and shipping in the South Sea, and which was so successful, that the prize-money divided amongst the officers and crews amounted to more than a million sterling" (Sabin 101175). Hill pp 317-8.
Provenance: ownership signature of William Henry Baptist Proby, son of subscriber Baptist John Proby, to title-page.