Darwin

1828 · rif. S13985 — London:: Printed for the Author; published by Baldwin and Cradock 1828-31. 1828. Four volumes. 8vo. 9.5 inches tall. Vol. I: 2 iv 186 2 pp. 9 plates. Vol. II: ii 200 pp. 6 plates. Vol. III: ii 374 6 pp. 4 plates. Vol. IV: ii 413 1 pp. 4 plates. Original marbled boards with modern half-calf raised bands gilt-stamped spines black leather spine labels marbled endsheets. Small ownership labels of the Lowther Collection. Nice set. CONTAINING THE FIRST PUBLICATIONS OF CHARLES DARWIN. The full edition was issued in 12 volumes. "While at the University of Cambridge the student Charles Darwin became an enthusiastic insect collector. He sent Stephens records of the rarer insects he had captured and was delighted when Illustrations of British entomology gave him credit for capturing insects described in 33 entries quoting his words in all but two of the cases. Darwin recalled in his autobiography "No poet ever felt more delight at seeing his first poem published than I did at seeing in Stephen's Illustrations of British Insects the magic words 'captured by C. Darwin Esq.'" though the closest wording as published actually appeared slightly differently as "captured by the Rev. F. W. Hope and C. Darwin Esq. in North Wales" and "Taken in North Wales by C. Darwin Esq." – Wikip. / The exquisite plates are colored by hand after drawings by Charles M. Curtis 1795-1839 and John Obadiah Westwood 1905-1893 who was among the first entomologists with an academic position at Oxford University. Although he worked on insect classification and diversity for more than sixty years from the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species he never accepted the ideas on evolution. / James Francis Stephens was an English entomologist and naturalist. He was elected fellow of the Linnean Society on 17 February 1815 and of the Zoological Society of London in 1826. From 1815 to 1825 he took a great interest in ornithology and contributed to the work of George Shaw 1751-1813. He was granted leave from office to assist William Elford Leach in 1818 to arrange the insect collection at the British Museum and eventually described as many as 2800 British insect species. In 1833 he was founder of what became the Royal Entomological Society of London. Stephens made a large insect collection that included many specimens. After his death the insect collection was purchased by the British Museum. PROVENANCE: Bruce Lowther 1926-1999 Collection c/o J.T. Barnes 503 Royal Trust Building Victoria B.C. Lowther was a journalist broadcaster author and historian with a particular interest in British Columbia labor history. From 1954-76 he worked as a reporter and columnist for the Victoria Daily Colonist. His collection of books was donated to the Saanich Archives Saanich British Columbia. Printed for the Author; published by Baldwin and Cradock, 1828-31. hardcover books