The British Museum or Elegant Repository of Natural History

London: John Badcock, 1803-1804. First edition.

FINE SET OF ILLUSTRATED VOLUMES FOR CHILDREN EXTOLLING NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM--AN ATTEMPT TO COMPETE WITH BUFFON'S SUCCESS IN FRANCE.

Four hardcover volumes, 14.5 cm tall, 24 mo, full leather binding, gilt decorative spines, marbled endpapers, each with added engraved title page with vignette. Vol. I, frontis of lion with tissue guard, 2 title pages, i-viii, 244 pp, 41 hand-colored copper plates; Vol. II, frontis of monkey with tissue guard, 2 title pages, [i-iv], 248 pp, 41 color plates; Vol. III, frontis of stickleback with tissue guard, 2 title pages, i-viii, 216 pp, 36 color plates; Vol. IV, frontis of peacock with tissue guard, 2 title pages, i-v, 260 pp, index 12 pp, publishers advertisements 2pp, 24 color plates. Total 142 color plates collates complete (see Smithsonial copy). Spine ends frayed, some leather labels missing from spines, bindings tight, hinges intact, pages unmarked, plates bright, very good in custom archival mylar covers.

FROM THE PREFACE: "Natural History is, of all human pursuits, that which has most attraction; mind of man; no other excites such proof God; who has created all things, and regulates all things, by one eternal law. The science is however in its infancy in this country. Hence the many crude systems which has been published, in France especially, that country, which, it is to be confessed, is yet a whole century before this In the most delightful part of the science, animated nature. To this moment, the British nation has not produced a systematic arrangement of living nature ; nor do we pretend in the work here offered, to supply that deficiency completely. The French nation has within the last year produced three editions of Buffon and his successors, each more voluminous than any work on any subject in our language; and shall then the mere English reader, the youth of both sexes, the admirers of the arts of graving printings and fine colouring, still lament the want of a handsome and complete work on Natural History? That task be ours: those arts; In which it is not vanity to say we excel, will be called to our aid; and if the British Museum be not patronised as a national work by the British nation, it will neither be the fault of the editors printer, or publisher; nor of the artists employed in the various departments of the undertaking."

WILLIAM HOLLOWAY (1761-1864). English author.

COPY LOCATED IN THE YALE CENTER FOR BRITISH ART. PAUL MELLON COLLECTION: https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/orbis:12913518 AND IN SMITHSONIAN LIBRARIES: https://siris-libraries.si.edu/ipac20/ipac.jsp?uri=full=3100001~!381690!0