HAMILTON William, "Remarks on Several Parts of Turkey. Part I, Aegyptica, or Some Account of the Antient and Modern State of Egypt, as obtained in the years 1801 & 1802", London: T. Payne, Cadell and Davies, 1809. Complete. FIRST AND ONLY EDITION [BOUND WITH] Alexander William, "Egyptian Monuments, from the Collection formed by the National Institute under the Direction of Bonaparte...", Longman, Hurst, Rees & Orme, London, 1805-1807. Complete. FIRST AND ONLY EDITION. 2 volumes (text and atlas, all published). 4to (28 x 23 cm) and folio (58 x 43 cm). xii, 440 pp. Atlas volume containing map a total of 45 plates including the 24 continuous numbered plates of the Hamiltons edition (1 map + 12 double-page, 11 single-page & 1 folding plate) plus a suite of 21 additional plates (in 20 sheets) from the: Alexander William (illustrator), et al. "Egyptian Monuments, from the Collection formed by the National Institute under the Direction of Bonaparte, and given up to the British Troops under Lord Hutchinson, on the Capitulation of Alexandria by General Menou, now deposited in the British Museum". The 21 Aquatints, some printed in colours, are mostly engraved by Thomas Medland, depicting the sarcophagus supposed to belong to the Alexander the Great (10 of 21 plates), several other sarcophagus and the four Basalt Obelisks (all in British Museum).

The list with the exact titles and sequence of the plates:

The Sarcophagus in which the embalmed Body of Alexander the Great was deposited taken from the Mosque of S Athanasius A Division of the right side of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Sixth or Center Division of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great First Division of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Head of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great inside / Feet of the same sarcophagus Second Division of the inside of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great A Division of the right side of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great Fourth Division of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great inside Third Division of the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great

10 & 11. Plans of the several Divisions on the Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great

Left side of a Sarcophagus of Granite from Cairo commonly called the Lovers Fountain Fourth Division of the Sarcophagus commonly called the Lovers Fountain Head end of the Lovers Fountain Feet end of the Granite Sarcophagus commonly called the Lovers Fountain Inside of the Fragment of a Sarcophagus from Upper Egypt Outside of a Fragment of a Sarcophagus from Upper Egypt Sarcophagus of Basalt from Menouf with the Fillet of Hieroglyphics surrounding it Fragment of Stone from the environs of Alexandria

20 & 21. The Four sides of an Obelisk of Basalt from Upper Egypt

This work was printed in five libraisons and is considered Extremely Rare. Blackmers copy is referred with 19 plates while the British Museums copy indicates 21 plates like the current offered set.

 

Both these, here bound together, works deal with the facts after the failure of Napoleons expedition to Egypt and the British interest in acquiring the antiquities discovered and gathered by the French during the expedition, including the Rosetta Stone and the supposed Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great. Hamiltons observations on Egypt, are conducted while accompanying a Turkish expeditionary force on a British Mission in an effort to prevent the removal of antiquities by the French, including the Rosetta Stone. The most important of its contents is his transcript of the "Greek Copy" of the Decree on the Rosetta Stone, with a translation in English. W. Alexander depicts, among other very important Egyptian artifacts, the "Sarcophagus of Alexander the Great" discovered by the French in 1798 in Alexandria. After the French defeat, Edward Daniel Clarke shipped the sarcophagus to the British Museum in London and wrote a book about it, recounting the known history of Alexanders tomb. When hieroglyphics were deciphered in 1822, it was realised that this sarcophagus was inscribed as the royal sarcophagus of Nectanebo. (Hamilton W.: Atabey 553, Blackmer 780, Alexander W.: Blackmer 18).

Ex-library book-plates, perforated and ink stamps to title-pages and some text, plates free of perforated stamps. Text volume in brown buckram binding, atlas folio in green buckram binding. Text volume worn, spine torn, front panel loose, interior distressed, toned, edges chipped, prelims loose. Fair condition. Atlas folio rubbed, moderately toned, occasionally wrinkled and dampstained, overall in Fine condition.