LA HARPE (Jean-François de). Abrégé de l'histoire générale des voyages, contenant Ce qu'il y a de plus remarquable, de plus utile et de mieux avéré dans les Pays ou les Voyageurs ont pénétré, les moeurs des Habitans, la Religion, les Usages, Arts & Sciences, Commerce, Manufactures. Paris : Hôtel de Thou, 1780 (volumes 1 to 21) ; Paris : Laporte, 1786 (volumes 22 and 23) ; Paris : Moutardier, An VIe 1798-An IX-1801 (volumes 24 to 32) ; Paris : Moutardier, An XI 1803-An XIII 1804 (volumes 33 to 44) - 44 volumes in-8 and an atlas in-4, distinct bindings in contemporary calf for the text volumes and in basane for the atlas. This Abrégé des voyages de La Harpe is an extract of the voluminous compilation given by the abbé Prévost, published from 1747 to 1780. The author has gathered the essential facts of the most famous voyages from the first discoveries to those of the end of the 18th century. The edition was received very favorably by the public, which generally did not have the patience to read a complete collection. La Harpe divided his compendium into five parts: the voyages of Africa, Asia, America, towards the poles and the voyages around the world. He added the modern voyages including those of Captain Cook. This copy consists of the twenty-one volumes of 1780 published by La Harpe, the two volumes published in 1786 devoted to Cook's third voyage and forming volumes 22 and 23, the nine volumes of supplements published between 1798 and 1801 by Delpuech-Comeiras, and the volumes 33 to 44, which are often missing, published in 1803 and 1804, dealing with Europe. The first 32 volumes include in total a folding table of the " Différentes langues de la mer du Sud ", 2 maps and 98 plates out of 101. Plate 17 in volume three and the two plates in volume 28 are missing. Also missing are the maps in volumes 25 and 27. Volumes 33 to 44 do not include any figures or maps here. A complete copy of the atlas including 74 folding maps dedicated to the first twenty-one volumes, as well as a folding table, the same as the one in volume twenty-one. The first volume is incomplete of the notebook A including the "Avis au relieur"; the false title and the title of the same volume have been replaced and are titled "Histoire générale des voyages de M. l'Abbé Prévost". The bindings are mismatched. Volumes 1 to 21 are bound in marbled brown calf, volumes 22 to 32 in shagreened calf except for volume 28 which is in marbled tan calf as are volumes thirty-three to forty-four. The atlas is in contemporary marbled basane. Wear and restorations to the bindings of the first 21 volumes, missing spine of volume 16. Lack of the head cover of volume 22, worm work to several bindings of the series in root calf. The binding of the atlas shows some spotting, a split of several centimeters at one hinge, missing head cover and corners. Stains to the last leaves of volume 11. Tear without missing at the map of volume 22, wetness at the end of the same volume. The first map of the atlas is unbound.