Jeffries, John

A Narrative of the Two Aerial Voyages of Doctor Jeffries with Mons. Blanchard; with Meteorological Observations and Remarks. The First Voyage, on the thirtieth of November, 1784, from London into Kent: the Second, on the seventh of January, 1785, from England into France. London: Printed for the Author, 1786



4to (11 1/4 x 8 3/4 in.; 285 x 222 mm, uncut). Stipple-engraved frontispiece portrait by Caroline Watson after F. Russell, one engraved plate; some spotting on first two leaves. Original plain blue wrappers, stabbed as issued, in a brown cloth slipcase, gilt-stamped title on spine; sewing renewed, backstrip gone.

Garrison-Morton 2137.2; Norman 1159; J. Milbank, First Century of Flight in America (1943), pp. 6, 10–16; J.E. Hodgson, History of Aeronautics in Great Britain (1924), pp. 167–170

First edition. The first American aeronaut, Jeffries (1744–1819) was born in Boston and studied medicine at the University of Aberdeen, returning to Boston to practice. During the Revolution, he served in the British army in the south, and later returned to England. He became interested in ballooning as a means to investigate the atmosphere by carrying out experiments and collecting data. His flights were accomplished with Blanchard, but Jeffries paid the bills and made the scientific observations.