History of the Earth and Animated Nature. Vol. I-VIII

Description:

2nd edition. Engravings by Isaac Taylor ans Elias Martin. Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) was a novelist, playwright and 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

8 vols, 8vo, cont. full calf, worn. Vols 2, 4, 7, 8 boards detached, other volumes hinges tender. Inoffensive light water stain to foot of a few volumes. From the library of the British lepidopterist Paul Sokoloff, with his book-plate to Vol. 1. A fair set.