Narrative of a Journey through the Upper Provinces of India,

First Edition of the valuable travel journal of Reginald Heber (1783–1826), half-brother of the bibliomaniac Richard Heber, who was appointed bishop of Calcutta in 1823, only the second person to hold that post, at a time when the diocese included not only the whole of India but southern Africa and Australia too. Heber spent much of his time ministering to the Anglican communities scattered throughout the Indian subcontinent. His most notable journey, of a length and difficulty unprecedented for a Church of England bishop, was the one which he undertook across northern India – up the Gangetic plain, through the mountains of Kumaon and the deserts of Rajputana, and finally visiting Ceylon on his way back to Calcutta by sea. His journal was edited by his widow and published posthumously. Five editions had been published by 1844.

2 volumes, 4to. Contemporary diced calf, roundel and arabesque rolled panel to the boards, double red-tan labels, spine gilt with scrolled lozenge and arabesque corner-pieces to the compartments, marbled endpapers and edges. Armorial bookplate of Joseph Dart (Secretary to the East India Company). 10 plates engraved by Finden from Heber’s own drawings, attractive engraved map hand-coloured in outline, 26 woodcuts in the text. Some foxing to plates, the text mostly fresh and clean throughout, rubbed at the extremities, hinges cracking, tail cap of volume chipped, head-cap pulled, otherwise very good copy.