PREVOST (Antoine François). General History of Travel, or collection of all relations of travel by sea and by land, which have been published up to now in the different Languages of all known Nations. Paris: Didot, 1746-1748. - 5 volumes in-4, 267 x 210: portrait, xvj pp., (2 ff.), p. xvij, xiv pp., 563 pp., (1 f.), 11 plates, 18 maps and plans; viij, 654 pp., (2 ff. last blank), 24 plates, 28 maps and plans; viij, 638 pp, 24 plates, 10 maps; (2) ff., 644 pp. ch. 648, pp., (1 f.), 24 plates, 15 (of 16) maps and plans; viij pp., 564 pp., (1 f.), 40 plates, 23 maps and plans. - White half parchment, smooth spine, red morocco title piece, gilt head, untrimmed (modern binding). Original edition of the first 5 volumes of the first great compilation of travel reports, undertaken by Father Prevost. It was initially the French translation of the ambitious publication that John Green had begun to publish in England in 1745 under the title A new general collection of voyages and travels. For Green the aim of this work was "1° to prevent the loss of a large number of precious books; 2° to make rare books common; 3° to form a body of the best authors who have written about different parts of the world" (p. i). Father Prevost, however, was not satisfied with a simple translation and allowed himself a few deletions; he also had new plates and maps engraved . The period of publication was from 1746 to 1789, with a total of 20 volumes. These first 5 volumes are illustrated with a portrait of Abbé Prévost in the frontispiece of the first volume, 94 maps and plans (out of 95) and 123 plates. The plan of the English fort at Sukonda is missing from volume 4 (plan 3 in the notice to the binder). Washed copy, in modern binding. A few rare traces of wetness. Tear with no defect repaired on the Tt2 slip in the second volume.