PEYSSONNEL, “Lettre de Mr De Peyssonnel, ancient consul general a Smyrne… contenant quelques observations relatives aux Memoires qui ont paru sous le nom de Baron de Tott”, Paris, 1785. FIRST and only edition. 8vo (21x13cm), pp.131. Fine half calf over boards, nice binding. A fine and clean copy. Peyssonnel (1727-1790) was a French diplomat in the Levant. He spent 35 years in the Ottoman Empire and he became an expert on the Ottoman world. The work provides a detailed presentation of the multinational Ottoman society, its administration, institutions, financial capabilities and commercial opportunities. This book is also a critic on Baron de Totts remarks about the Ottoman Empire, published one year earlier in 1784. The clear difference is that Peyssonnel suggests the dissolution of Ottoman State and the establishment of a new Christian power in the Levant. As the Russians advance against the Ottomans, this question was raised for the first time in this book. A detailed presentation of the Ottoman world in late 18th century. VERY RARE AND FROM THE PRESTIGIOUS ATABEY LIBRARY (this copy in Atabey 951, Not in Blackmer)