One of the earliest works in Western Europe on Ukrainian history and geography.

Jean-Benoît Scherer (1741 - 1824), a German and French historian who spent some time in St Petersburg as an attaché in the French embassy, rightly notes that the history of the Ukrainian Cossacks is 'more celebrated than known' and even a list of the Cossacks' hetmans, i.e. leaders, is not known to be available. Thus, in his work Scherer attempts to acquaint the European public with the history of the Ukrainian Cossacks from the times of their formation to the annihilation of the Zaporozhskaya Sech by Catherine II in 1775. The text is largely Scherer's translation of the local chronicles supplemented with author's clarifying notes where necessary. The first volume provides an overview of the history of the Cossacks, focusing solely on the Ukrainian speaking and the Zaporozhian Cossacks, their organisation, customs and way of life, while the second volume describes history of the Cossacks' leaders and provides translations of the texts of some important treaties.

First edition; 2 vols, 8vo; [4], xvi, 328 (i.e. 330) [2]pp.; [6], 384, [5]pp., some browning to margins of half-titles, water stain to lower margin of second half of vol.II; contemporary mottled calf, spine in compartments gilt, green morocco labels, marbled edges, paper labels with library inventory numbers to bottom of spines, skilfully rebacked retaining original spines, repairs to corners and losses at bottom of both vols, scratch to upper cover of vol.I, edges rubbed, a good set.