ROCKHILL, William Woodville.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Diary of a Journey Through Mongolia and Tibet in 1891 and 1892. First edition, a superbly extra-illustrated presentation copy, inscribed by the author on the title page, "William Hallett Phillips, from his fellow crank, W. W. Rockhill." Bound in are 58 original photographs from the expedition, a sheet of Tibetan script likely in Rockhill's hand, and an autograph note signed on Department of State letterhead, in which he explains the meaning of the script.The first American to learn Tibetan, Rockhill (1854-1914) held a string of diplomatic posts in Beijing and Korea and as Assistant Secretary of State in Washington, DC. "Rockhill's fame rests on his diplomatic career, but he was first and always a dedicated, pioneering, and prolific Orientalist. Whether he was uncovering and translating ancient Chinese and Tibetan classics or exploring remote parts of China and Tibet between 1888 and 1892, with amazing indifference to his personal safety, Rockhill was driven by the late nineteenth-century search for 'objective,' scientific truth and the love of knowledge for its own sake. Rockhill was one of a handful of Westerners to penetrate Tibet and Mongolia, and in 1908 he was honoured by having several long conversations with the Dalai Lama, who sought the American's advice on his delicate relationship with the Manchu Court and Tibet's future" (ANB).As recorded in this work, Rockhill took many photographs during his expedition and donated the images to the Smithsonian. The 58 original p

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