Institut d'Égypte.

Annuaire de la République Française, calculé pour le méridien du Kaire, l’an VIII de l’ere Française.

Cairo, de l’Imprimerie Nationale, an VIII [1799/1800].

Small 4⁰. 119 pp. With a woodcut printer’s device on title.

Contemporary red painted paper wrappers.

First volume (of two) of the Institut d'Égypte’s almanac, in which, for the first time, the empirical measurements of Egypt by the “savants” were published. Printed at Napoleon’s printing press in Cairo, the introduction of modern printing by the French to the Arab-speaking world marked "an extraordinarily important turning point" (Glass & Roper). The press operated for only four years, and its publications are true incunabula of Arab printing—now exceedingly rare.

The present Annuaire was prioritized for printing as it provided Europeans stationed in Egypt with essential practical information for everyday life. It was printed in 1799 and pertained to the year VIII of the French Republican calendar (1799/1800). A year later, a second volume of the Annuaire was published, for the year IX.

Bonaparte's Army of the Orient was not only a military force but also a scientific and literary expedition, composed of scholars known as "savants." Dozens of France's leading linguists, scientists, archaeologists, and artists accompanied the expedition. The savants were united in the Institut d'Égypte, and early on, a special commission of the Institut was tasked with publishing the results of their research in an almanac, which would be highly useful for the French stationed in Egypt.

They wished to publish the first almanac sooner, but during the outbreak of violence during the October Cairo Revolt, many of the scientific instruments that the French had brought with them were destroyed, including the printing workshops. By 14 January 1799, the printers were capable of working at full capacity again.

The almanac provides navigational tables, a concordance between the Muslim and French Republican calendars, a comparison of French and Egyptian units of measure, data on the speed of Nile currents, and much more. It also includes information about the personnel in the Army of the Orient, listing members of the administration, finances, the Commission of Sciences and Arts, the Institute, and so on.

Due to their ephemeral nature, almanacs are generally rare, as is the case with these. The first issue is particularly rare, with only one complete copy traced in the British Library and an incomplete one in the BnF, with none traced elsewhere.

Copies: Qnl: only IX; BnF: VIII only 87 pp.; incomplete?, IX; Yale: only IX; LoC: only IX; BL: VIII & IX (not checked).

Condition: Wholly untrimmed. Contemporary French writing and calculation exercises in ink on front cover and inside of back cover, probably by the first owner. Covers worn. A few faint stains on title-page and a minor hole in the foot margin. Otherwise in very good condition.

Reference: Guémard, p. 25 & 46; Geiss 17; De Meulenaere 17.

Literature:

Institut d'Egypte, La Décade égyptienne, Au Kaire, de l'Imprimerie nationale. An VII de la République française.-An IX de la République française, [1800], pp. 167-168.

Dagmar Glass, Geoffrey Roper, ‘The Printing of Arabic Books in the Arab World’, in: Middle Eastern Languages and the Print Revolution, Mainz: Gutenberg Museum, 2002, pp. 177-225.

Early Arabic Printing: Movable Type & Lithography (Online exhibit Yale, April–June 2009). See: https://onlineexhibits.library.yale.edu/s/arabic-printing/page/home

Geoffrey Roper, “The printing press and change in the Arab world”, in: Agent of change: print cultural studies after Elizabeth Eisenstein. Amherst & Boston: University of Massachusetts Press, in association with the Center for the Book, Library of Congress, 2007, pp. 250-267.

The Institut d'Egypte advertised the publication of the almanacs in their journal, La Décade égyptienne (vol. 2, pp. 167-168):

“Cet Annuaire est fait à l'instar de celui de Paris, et composé par une commission spéciale de l'Institut d'Egypte : cette commission, nommée dans la dernière décade de fructidor an VI, avait composé un Annuaire pour l'an VII, lequel n'a pû être imprimé, toute l'Imprimerie nationale étant encore à Alexandrie, à cette époque. On y a conservé les nouveaux dénombremens faits dans les départemens de la France, ainsi que d'autres observations et calculs intéressans. On y trouve à la suite du tableau des nouvelles mesures de la République Française, un tableau comparatif des mesures françaises et égyptiennes. On y a inséré la correspondance de l'hcgyre avec l'ère française, ainsi que les styles coptes et grecs, d'après les s renseignemens des personnes du pays qui s'occupent de rédiger leurs calendriers. Pour la plus grande facilité de tous, on en a imprimé un second moins détaillé où l'on trouve simplement l'ancien et le nouveau style de France , avec les principaux articles d'un almanach. Ces deux Annuaires sont terminés par un tableau ou état militaire de l'armée d'Orient, des membres composans le grand divan, l'admimstrarion générale des finances, l'institut et la commission des sciences et arts. Il est important d'avertir qu'il a été ajouté à l'un et à l'autre, depuis leur impression, un supplément de quatre pages, sous le titre d'additions et corrections. Ces deux ouvrages se trouvent à l'Imprimerie Nationale.”

"This Directory is made in the manner of the one from Paris and composed by a special commission of the Institute of Egypt. This commission, appointed in the last decade of Fructidor, year VI, had composed a Directory for year VII, which could not be printed as the entire National Printing Office was still in Alexandria at that time. The new censuses conducted in the departments of France, as well as other interesting observations and calculations, have been preserved in it. Following the table of the new measures of the French Republic, there is a comparative table of French and Egyptian measures. The correspondence between the Hegira and the French era has been included, as well as the Coptic and Greek styles, based on the information from local individuals who are involved in drafting their calendars. For everyone's convenience, a second, less detailed version has been printed, where one simply finds the old and new styles of France, along with the main articles of an almanac. Both Directories are concluded with a table or military status of the Army of the Orient, the members composing the grand divan, the general administration of finances, the institute, and the commission of sciences and arts. It is important to note that since their printing, a four-page supplement titled additions and corrections has been added to both. These two works are available at the National Printing Office."