St John's College S.72 (James 464)
Advice for John Palmer when travelling in the Near East. English, c. 1804
A book of advice and 'usefull hints' written for John Palmer, Fellow of St John's College and Sir Thomas Adams Professor of Arabic at Cambridge (1769-1840), perhaps before his tour of the Levant in 1805-7 (see S.74). It combines advice on diet with a list of 'the most remarkable places in the Levant and directions for visiting them'. The James catalogue tentatively attributes this work to 'Colonel Leake', presumably William Martin Leake (1777-1860), the classical topographer and numismatist, who was in England between January 1803 and September 1804.
180x115 mm. [14] fos (final 2 blank). Inscribed inside front cover in the same hand: 'To Mr Palmer / with my best wishes'. Apparently presented by John William Pieters, Fellow and Senior Bursar of St John's (1824-1901), in 1877.
Autograph in single, neat hand. Paper. Original marbled paper covers.