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

Description:

With an Introductory View of the Animal Kingdom translated from the French of Baron Cuvier; and with a 'Biographical Sketch of Oliver Goldsmith' by Washington Irving. The frontispiece is a portrait of Goldsmith, engraved from a painting by Joshua Reynolds. The plates in this volume are of mammals.

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.

Condition

Vol. 1 (of 2), roy. 8vo, half morocco, raised bands and gilt rules to spine, marbled endpapers and edges; rather scuffed and worn, front joint partially split, rear joint split and a little tender, but holding firm, wear to head/foot of spine. Internally largely clean with some occasional light foxing/spotting.