MONCONYS (Balthasar de). JOURNAL des Voyages de Monsieur de Monconys. A Lyon: Chez Horace Boissat, 1665-1666.

MONCONYS (Balthasar de). JOURNAL des Voyages de Monsieur de Monconys. A Lyon: Chez Horace Boissat, 1665-1666.
MONCONYS (Balthasar de)
JOURNAL des Voyages de Monsieur de Monconys. Où les Sçavants trooouveront un nombre infini de noveautez, en Machines de Mathematique, Experiences Physiques, Raisonnemens de la belle Philosophie, curiositez de Chimie, & conversations des Illustres de ce Siecle; Outra la description de divers Animaux & Plantes rares, plusieurs Secrets inconnus pour le Plaisir & la Santé, les Ouvrages des Peintres fameux, les Coutumes & Moeurs des Nations, & ce qu’il y a de plus digne de la connoissance d’un honeste Homme dans les trois Parties du Monde. A Lyon: Chez Horace Boissat, 1665-1666.

3 v.; [8], 10, [2], 492 pp., 14 grav.; [4], 504 pp., 11 grav.; [8], 60, 56, 44, 96, [30] pp., 5 grav.; total de 30 gravs: il.; 255 mm.

FIRST EDITION, illustrated with a total of 30 intaglio engravings by C. Dernage, showing different devices, machines, graphics and views. It was published posthumously by his son, Caspard de Monconys and with the collaboration of the Jesuit Jean Bertet. This remarkable travel diary contains curious information obtained by the author during the trips he undertook from 1645 onwards, passing through Portugal, Provence, Italy, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, Turkey, England, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. Balthasar de Monconys (1611-1665), adept at alchemy and an amateur in the study of physics and mathematics, presents a vast array of scientific recipes, experiments, descriptions of devices and a large number of curiosities of all kinds. In the third volume, after the travel diary, some more parts are published: letters addressed to Monconys, his Treatise on Algebra, his original poems, letters and his collection of various recipes. Rare.