A History of the Earth and Animated Nature. Vol. I-II

Description:

By 1873, Goldsmith’s work had remained popular for nearly a century. This late edition comprises two volumes rather than the original eight. The engraved frontispieces are of Baron Cuvier and Oliver Goldsmith. The plates include mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and invertebrates.

Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) was a novelist, playwright, poet, and man of letters, best known today for such works as the novel 'The Vicar of Wakefield' (1766), and the play 'She Stoops to Conquer' (first performed in 1773). Inspired by Buffon’s monumental 'Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière', Goldsmith complied his own major work, acknowledging that he was drawing on a number of secondary sources including Pliny, Buffon, Willughby, De Geer etc. The work also includes Goldsmith’s musings and entertaining anecdotes which greatly helped to make the work a publishing success, running to many editions. Written in fine literary prose, the modern reader is provided with a fascinating insight to late 18th century perspectives of the natural world, the excitement of recent discoveries in Australia and the Americas and the place that the human race had in the world.

[Bibliographical note: the plates are numbered 1-5, 7-71, no plate 6 is called for in the General Index of Plates, or Directions for Binder].

Condition

2 vols, roy. 8vo, cont. half calf, raised bands, gilt rules and leather title pieces to spine, marbled edges; rubbed, some wear to corners. Front free endpaper removed from vol I. Some foxing. Very good.