[Cook's Voyages, extra illustrated] An account of the voyages undertaken by the order of His present Majesty for making discoveries in the Southern hemisphere : and successively performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook, in the Dolphin, the Swallow, and the Endeavour: drawn up from the journals which were kept by the several commanders, and from the papers of Joseph Banks, esq. John Hawkesworth, Captain Cook (James Cook), James King

An account of the voyages undertaken by the order of His present Majesty for making discoveries in the Southern hemisphere : and successively performed by Commodore Byron, Captain Wallis, Captain Carteret, and Captain Cook, in the Dolphin, the Swallow, and the Endeavour: drawn up from the journals which were kept by the several commanders, and from the papers of Joseph Banks, esq. by John Hawkesworth Overall Condition: VERY GOOD+ ***First Dublin Edition in beautiful fine binding with multiple plates added from a later printing. This is the only Dublin edition I see for sale with ANY illustrations. The first Dublin edition did not have plates in its 3 octavo volumes but rather a fourth Quarto--VERY SCARCE--Atlas volume containing 52 plates. The first Dublin edition was printed at the same time as the first English edition. Published by A. Leathley, et al. in Dublin in 1773. First Dublin edition, first printing. Textually complete in three volumes. Without the VERY SCARCE fourth Atlas Volume of illustrations. Rebound circa 1810 in beautiful, dark forest green fine full morocco binding: single ornamental gilt fillet paneling; five gilt-patterned raised spine bands with compartments tooled with gilt emblems and lettering; all edges stained a dark blue-green; gilt dentelles; pale yellow endpapers. Octavo. 8" x 5.25" Each volume collated and complete, including original blanks (scarce) and publisher ads (at the end of volume 3). Refreshed endpapers. With six added plates - three foldout and three one-page. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/EDITOR John Hawkesworth LLD (c. 1715 - November 1773) was an English writer and book editor. He was commissioned by the Admiralty to edit Captain James Cook's papers relative to his first voyage. For this work, "An Account of the Voyages undertaken ." Hawkesworth is said to have received from the publishers the sum of £6000, an unprecedented amount at the time. An Account of the Voyages would go on to become one of the most popular travel books of the eighteenth century. Hawkesworth, an eminent London author, was chosen by Lord Sandwich and commissioned by the Admiralty to prepare these narratives for publication. He was expected to add polish to the rough narratives of sea men, and to present the accounts in a style befitting the status of the voyages as official government expeditions, intended to embellish England's prestige as a maritime power. Although the book was a huge success, fast becoming a best-seller, it was disastrous for its editor. He was publicly attacked on three different counts: by the captains for tampering with the texts of their journals, by prudish readers for reprinting descriptions of the sexual freedoms of the South Sea islanders, and by devout churchmen for impiety in the general introduction to the work. CONDITION: VG+ Exterior is NEAR FINE for a 215-year-old binding. Square spines, firm hinges and joints, fairly sharp corners, tight pages. Boards are colorful, supple, glossy and unfaded or soiled. Spine tips unrubbed. Light rubbing to the edges, corners and spines. Rubbed boards. Gilt work intact and glossy. Stained edges in great condition. Quite beautiful! The interiors are VG+ Refreshed endpapers. Former owners' bookplate dated April 1810 on front pastedown of each volume. Offsetting from dentelles onto FFEPs and from the inserted plates onto adjacent pages. Embossed stamp of "Fort Frederic, Virginia, Co. Cavan" on title page and a few other pages of Volume I. No writing, damp staining or worming. Pages range from clear and bright white to lightly toned and sometimes a bit darker. Light foxing overall with occasional areas of heavier foxing. Some light signs of handling - a small margin tear or two, a few smudges and ink stains, a few slightly bent page corner tips. Overall, the highest graded and most complete copy I see for sale of this uncommon first Dublin edition, and in the finest binding. No other copy with plates. A superior and beautiful collectible set.