JOHN ADAIR CRAWFORD: Journal of a Deputation sent to the East by the Committee of the Malta Protestant College in 1849 containing an account of the present state of the Oriental Nations including their religion,learning ,education,customs and occupations... London 1855 Second edition (first published the previous year) of a very rare mid-19th century missionary travel report for the Levant. 4to (23x16 cm). Contemporary blind-stamped cloth, text clean and bright. Complete in two volumes: [42], 342 p., [1]; [6], 343–886 p., 1 portrait and 8 plates (maps and views), continuous pagination. Overall in very good plus condition, a lovely set. Missionary activity in the Levant was intense throughout the 19th century. Since Muslims were largely out of reach in the Ottoman Empire, the focus was on the Christians of the East. Missions provided education, some financial assistance, and detailed reports on local conditions and needs. In the mid-19th century, the Protestant Church in Malta sent a mission across the Levant to evaluate the state of the Ottoman populations and better organize its work. This remarkable account documents the customs, education, occupations, and economic prospects of Greeks, Armenians, Turks, and other nationalities. As stated in the preface, this second edition devotes special attention to economic matters highlighting the natural resources and untapped potential of the region, including agriculture, mineral wealth, and trade opportunities. Crawford,one of the best-educated Britons of his time, had a sharp eye for the Levant’s economic future. A lengthy and invaluable report covering European Turkey (Thessaly, Macedonia, Thrace, etc.) and Asiatic Turkey,making it one of the earliest scientific development surveys of the Levant. Rare.