Physical description

Hard cover book,Modern History: or, the Present State of All Nations Vol III
Author: Mr Salmon (Thomas Salmon)
Illustrator: Herman Moll
Publisher: T Longman and T Shewell, London.
Date: 1746 (MDCCXLVI), 3rd Edition
Further Information: Set of Three Volumes. Hard covered book has reinforcing on the spine and corners. The cover is very well worn and has remnants of a coloured design. The fly page is printed in red and black ink and has a long description of the contents. Inside the cover is printed a Coat of Arms, there is a stocker on the inside cover.

Publication type

non-fiction

Inscriptions & markings

Label on the spine "RH F910 SAL"
Sticker on the paste down front end paper "Corangamite Regional Library Service"
Printed on paste down front end paper "Coat of arms, crown above a shield with an inverted V with three stars on it"
Sticker on front loose end paper "Coat of arms, with "F C G Ritso"

Summary

This 1746 3rd Edition of Thomas Salmon’s Modern History is a fantastic slice of Enlightenment era geography and publishing history. It sits at a fascinating intersection of early modern travel literature, top tier cartography, and the rise of one of London's most famous publishing houses.
Thomas Salmon’s Modern History: or, the Present State of All Nations was an ambitious encyclopedic project. Rather than focusing strictly on dynastic timelines, Salmon took a modern geographical and ethnographic approach.
For each region covered, he detailed its geography and climate, along with its natural resources, plants, animals, and minerals. Culture and society were covered by focusing on local habits, dress, religious rites, laws, customs, and architecture. Economy and trade were also detailed, including the arts, sciences, husbandry, and commercial manufactures.