A New, Authentic, and Complete Collection of Voyages Round the World,: undertaken and performed by royal authority. Containing an authentic, entertaining, full, and complete history of Captain Cook's first, second, third and last voyages,... To which will be added, genuine narratives of other voyages of discovery round the w

London: Alexander Hogg,, [1784-86]. An important collection of English voyages First edition of this valuable compendium of the three voyages of Captain Cook and others. "An important collection of English voyages... [which] sometimes gives the original accounts, others are edited or abridged versions, and frequently additional material from other sources are added to give scope and depth to the narratives" (Hill). This attractive copy has the title page in the first state, with the date in the imprint. Originally issued in 80 weekly parts costing sixpence each, printed in double column in "large new Types, constructed on Purpose to comprise much Matter in a little Compass", Hogg's edition helped disseminate knowledge of Cook's discoveries to those unwilling or unable to afford the nine quartos and atlas volumes of the official accounts. The text is paraphrased and reordered to avoid impinging on the literary property of the Admiralty. The splendidly verbose title page notes the addition of the expeditions of Byron, Wallis, Carteret, Mulgrave, Anson, and Drake. Those of the first three were included in Hawkesworth's edition of Cook's first voyage; the accounts of the voyages of Phipps, Anson, and Drake are reprinted from David Henry's An Historical Account of All the Voyages Round the World, Performed by English Navigators (1773-74). The book is often referred to as "Anderson's Cook", though George William Anderson is most likely a pseudonym calculated to evoke vague identification with William Anderson, the surgeon and naturalist who accompanied Cook on his second and third voyages. The publisher, Alexander Hogg, a specialist in "Paternoster Row numbers", had a penchant for tripartite pseudonyms. Folio (382 x 252 mm). Contemporary tree calf professionally rebacked, single gilt fillet border to sides, Antique Spot pattern marbled endpapers. 29 engraved charts and plans and 125 engraved plates, including portrait frontispiece of Cook and allegorical second frontispiece, folding chart of Cook's voyages. Binding professionally refurbished, some old scratches and marks to covers, a few plates with weak impressions, small chip at foot of plate "Queen Charlottes Island", light offsetting from some plates, contents clean. An imposing copy. Beddie, Cook, 18; ESTC N5224; Forbes 61; Hill 18; Howgego I, C176; Spence p. 26; Parks Collection 104.