Darwin Erasmus Illustrated by William Blake (2 results)

, Part 1. title page, xx, 218 pages, additional notes [124], with 5 [of 9] plates including frontispiece; Part 2. title page, viii, 200 pages, with 8 [of 10] plates including frontispiece, includes 3 plates by William Blake of the Portland Vase Part 1. Third Edition, Part 2. Fourth Edition , boards detached, spine cracked in 6 places thus textblock in 7 sections, boards and spine well rubbed, library label to front pastedown, vol 1. lacks 4 plates, vol 2. lacks 2 plates, some occasional light marks/spots to margins and plates but text clean, internally good condition in poor binding , original full brown calf Quarto Hardback ISBN.…

TWO VOLUMES. 4to. 11 x 8.5 inches. Part I, xx + 218 + 124 pp. Additional Notes+ [2] pp. Directions to the Binder and advertisement; Part II, [2] + viii + 200 pp. + [1] pp. Directions to the Binder. Bound in original plain light blue paper covered boards; spines with separate contrasting title labels, gilt. Some age wear to extremities and scattered foxing; otherwise a very good set. In 2 Solander boxes in half black leather over matching light blue; spines in compartments with raised bands decorated gilt, with gilt titles. Illustrated by 21 engraved plates, including 2 frontispieces (Part I drawn by Henry Fuseli), one folding, 2 after Fuseli and engraved by William Blake and 4 of the Portland Vase, not signed but attributed to Blake. The plate in Part I, opposite.p.87, of two Wedgwood cameos of Botany Bay and the abolition of slavery referenced by the poem, are not listed in the Directions to the Binder. Decorated by vignette at end of Proem, Part II. Erasmus Darwin (1731-1802) was a physician, natural philosopher, inventor and poet, and the grandfather of Charles Darwin. Associated with the Midland Enlightenment, he was a member of the Lunar Society of Birmingham and the Derby Philosophical Society. He set up practice in Lichfield and established the Botanical Society at Lichfield, to translate the Latin works of Carl Linnaeus. The first part of The Botanic Garden was originally entitled The Economy of Vegetation, the two parts having first appeared 1791 (Part I) and 1789 (Part II). This edition also contains plates drawn by the artist Henry Fuseli (1761-1825), two of which were engraved and signed by William Blake, while the four engravings of the Portland Vase have also been attributed to Blake. His Tornado plate appears for the first time in this title. Part II includes interludes featuring a dialogue between bookseller and poet. A set in original condition with plain bindings, housed in handsomely bound Solander boxes. (ESTC T82162, T82155; Blake Books, 450, p.456-8; Blanche Henrey II, p.129-133 and III, 468-471 and 612-616). NATURAL HISTORY/SCIENCE POETRY NATURAL HISTORY PLANTS BOTANY POETRY 18TH CENTURY ILLUSTRATED NATURAL HISTORY/SCIENCE.…