John Hill

A general natural history: or, new and accurate descriptions of the animals, vegetables, and minerals of the different parts of the world. London: Thomas Osborne, 1748-1752

FIRST EDITION, 3 volumes, folio (350 x 220mm.), sectional half-titles, folding letterpress table, 56 hand-coloured engraved plates, contemporary russia gilt, browning and spotting, binding worn at joints and extremities

Sir John Hill (1716?-1775) was a renowned botanist who published a number of works including The Vegetable System, one of the first natural history books to utilise the Linnaean system of classifica🎐tion. This popular work comprises volumes addressing vegetables, animals and minerals: 'as they were printed, published and often bound uniformly the three volumes are sometimes considered to comprise one work; Hill hiꦯmself, however, makes it perfectly clear that each volume is in itself complete without the others' (Lisney).

LITERATURE:

Anker 210; Freeman 1672; Henrey 809; Johnston 420; Nissen ZBI 1939; Stafleu TL2 2767

PROVENANCE:

William Charles de Meuron, 7th Earl Fitzwilliam (1872-1943), Wentworth Woodhouse, armoria🅺l bookplate