A RARE FRENCH EDITION

Voyage de Pehr Kalm au Canada en 1749

Pehr Kalm’s Journal Voyage de Pehr Kalm au Canada en 1749 (1977) wasn’t actually the first French edition, parts of the journal had earlier been translated and published in both French and English. But it wasn’t until 1977 that a complete French translation of the Canadian part of the journal, as undertaken by Jacques Rousseau was realised. The first definitive English edition with all the original illustrations was published by the IK Foundation in 2008.

Seeking out Kalm’s printed journal in North America isn’t an easy task, you either have to turn to antiquarians, libraries, or in the case of the English edition, through the IK Foundation’s own online resources as an iBook or order the printed versions within the series The Linnaeus Apostles Global Science & Adventure. Even if Kalm still remains fascinating and relevant today; as seen in his inclusion in reference and course-literature, it’s difficult to find new editions amongst the bookstores’ shelves. Something which rings true after research in several university hubs, from Harvard to Montreal; in the best case you can locate selected extracts of the journal or works which reference or are based on his journal, these are usually only available as digital or as print-on-demand copies. This means that for those interested in modern research will most likely not see the “complete picture” of Kalm’s work in North America, a work which in many respects lacks an equivalent as a unique source material, in aiding the understanding of the continent’s natural and cultural history.

With this context in mind and as earlier discussed with the English Language Library in Quebec - we come to realise the worth of the 1977 French edition. Something for which we have to thank, Jacques Rousseau, but also Guy Béthúne and Pierre Morriset. How extensive the printing run is, is unknown but it was probably quite limited due to the rare nature of the work today. Just a few minutes walk from the English Language Library down to rue des Navigateurs, the “Bridge Builder Expedition North America” representatives located a copy of the French edition at the antiquary Roger Auger Librarie. In contrast to the abridged and digital versions of Kalm’s journal, the physical editions such as that of Rousseau and the IK Foundation in French and English respectively, offer a different perspective, such as the feel and inspiration which only a printed book can give, but also the beauty in the printed material – a key feature of the Linnean tradition!

In Quebec City; those interested can through the English Language Library and antiquarians such as Roger Auger Librarie discover works which in the modern world would otherwise been very hard to find – a key effort in the preservation and development of Pehr Kalm’s work.