FIRST EDITION OF HUMBOLDT'S TRAVELS IN ENGLISH: Personal narrative of travels to the equinoctial regions of the New Continent during the years 1799-1804. Vol.I [and] Vol.II. by Humboldt, Alexander von (1769-1859); Bonpland, Aimé (1773-1858); Williams, Helen Maria (trans., 1759-1827) - 1814

London: London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, Paternoster Row; J.Murray, Albemarle Street; and H.Colburn, Conduit Street, 1814. 1st Edition . Half leather. Very Good. First edition of first English translation, first two volumes of a series extending to 7 volumes by 1829. Octavo; li, [1], 289, [2]; [1], 299pp. In contemporary uniform half calf over marbled boards (extermities and hinges rubbed), five raised spine bands carrying single gilt fillets, gilt-lettered red and black leather title and volume number labels to second and third compartments respectively, remaining compartments gilt, occasional very light spotting otherwise a delightfully fresh clean example complete with frontispiece to volume one, a number of in-text tables, and temperature conversion table at closing leaf of vol.1. Humboldt's pioneering account of his voyage to and exploration of South America first issued in French between 1814 and 1825 was translated by Helen Maria Williams in seven volumes between 1814 and 1829 and was a significant influence on and inspiration for Darwin in his natural researches. These first two volumes, preceding vols. 3-4 issued in 1819 and further volumes issued over the course of the consequent decade, cover Humboldt's departure from Spain, his landing at the Canary islands and stay at Tenerife, his passage to Tobago and initial exploration of Venezuela. An attractive example of these scarce initial volumes in first edition.