John Gabriel Stedman; C. Schulz [editor].

Kleines Magazin von Reisen zur angenehmen und belehrenden Unterhaltung der Jugend, nach den neuesten deutschen und ausländischen Originalwerken.

Berlin, Oehmigke dem Jüngeren, 1800.

8°. [10], XII, 180 pp. Complete with a 2-page publisher’s advertisement and a 10-page foreword by editor Schulz. With 5 hand-coloured engravings (including title).

Later half vellum with marbled sides, gold-tooled spine.

First edition of a curious and little-known German children’s adaptation of Stedman’s description of Suriname. Editor Schulz condensed Stedman’s original 800 pages to just 180, focusing on the European white planter elite’s luxurious lifestyle and the wonderful flora and fauna of the country; while entirely omitting the well-known love story between Stedman and the formerly enslaved Joanna. Only briefly the Maroon people are mentioned, who so prominently feature in Stedman's original work. According to Schulz, sensitive moral topics should be explained by fathers or teachers — but not by mothers!

This edition is very rare and apparently not available digitally. This is volume one of the Kleines Magazin von Reisen, a series of four volumes covering different parts of the world. The title claims it is compiled “after the most recent German and foreign original works”; however, it is most likely based solely on Stedman’s work, as a separate edition exists (undated), with identical contents except for the title: I.G. Stedmann’s Reisen in Surinam für die Jugend bearbeitet (Berlin, in der Schüppelschen Buchhandlung, no date).

For the illustrations, the Berlin artist L. Hoppe combined several of the iconic plates from the English edition into five composite engravings, resulting in some amusing and inventive scenes. 

Condition: Thumbing to the plate leaves, text lightly browned and occasionally foxed. Otherwise in good condition.

Reference:

Wegehaupt I, 2016.

For artist L. Hoppe see: GULAN ID: 500048875.

For the other edition see: Sabin 91073.