"WE ARE GOING OVER, TO US, ENTIRELY NEW GROUND, WHICH IS NOT SO FREQUENTLY TRAVELED BY THE AMERICAN TOURIST AS THE WELL-BEATEN, OLD EUROPEAN ROUTES"

FRANCIS, Harriet E. Across the Meridians. No place: privately printed at the De Vinne Press, 1887. Tall octavo, modern full brown morocco gilt with contemporary cloth gilt illustration laid onto the front board, raised bands, marbled endpapers, uncut. $525.

First edition of this travel memoir in a series of letters, illustrated with 24 photographic plates, with a tipped-in presentation slip signed by the author's husband and the work's dedicatee: "[typed] For [handwritten] W.E. Kay Esq [typed] with compliments of [handwritten] John M. Francis. [typed] Mrs. Francis, who contributed this volume for her family and friends, died at her home in Troy, N.Y., Jan 20, 1889."

"A world tour in 1875-76 by a wealthy family is described in compiled letters" (Smith, American Travellers Abroad F60). Locations include Japan, China, India, Ceylon, Cairo, Athens and London; a selection of letter fragments at the end of the volume describes European cities in Portugal, Austria, Hungary and Germany.

Fine condition.