Comprising Twenty-four Views of the Most Interesting Scenes, from Original Drawings Taken on the Spot. With Some Account of the Bathing Establishments in that Department by J. Hardy. An exceptional copy of Hardy's masterpiece with 24 miniature hand-colored plates that are among the most beautiful to be found in aquatint engraving" (Prideaux). In this copy, 3 of the plates (10, 17, and 18) are before numbers, a state not described in any bibliography. Furthermore, the hand-coloring in this copy is exceptionally fresh and well-executed, leaving all three birds in plate 13 clearly visible (Prideaux refers admiringly to a similar bird in plate 19, most likely because in the copy he had examined, the colorist had obscured the birds on plate 13 as is usually the case. This series of views begins with a general view of the distant mountains of the Pyrenees, as seen from Villeneuve de Marsan. In contrast, others are taken from the Bath of La Railliere, St. Sauveur, Bridge of Sia and Bareges, etc. Beautifully bound in full crushed morocco with triple gilt fillets and floral gilt corner pieces to boards, spine comprised of raised gilt bands and six attractive and ornate gilt compartments, titled in the second compartment, coloured endpapers, gilt inner dentelles, uncut, gilt top edge. Comes with its own green pebble-grain cloth slipcase. A good copy. Coloured plates in order: 1. Distant Mountains of the Pyrenees as seen from Villeneuve de Marsan. 2. The Chateau of Henri Quatre at Pau. 3. The Bridge over the Gave at Betharem. 4. The Castle of Lourdes. 5. The Valley of Argeles. 6. Village of Pierre-Fitte. 7. Village of Cauterets. 8. Bath of La Ralliere, looking towards Cauterets. 9. Cascade of Lutour, as seen from the Bath of La Ralliere. 10. The Castle and part of the Valley of Luz. 11. Approach to Saint Sauveur. 12. Entrance to Saint Sauveur. 13. View from the Promenade at St. Sauveur. 14. The Defile leading to Gavarnie. 15. Bridge of Sia. 16. View from the Bridge of Sia. 17. Church and Village of Gavarnie. 18. Cascades and Circle of Gavarnie. 19. Defile near the Bridge of Sia. 20. Bareges. 21. Cascade of L'Escoubous. 22. Cascades & Village of Grip. 23. Village of St. Marie in the Valley of Campan. 24. Priory of St. Paul, the Pic du Midi in the distance.