Milestones of Science Books

MERRETT, Christopher [MERRET, Christopher].

Pinax rerum naturalium Britannicarum, continens vegetabilia, animalia, et fossilia, in hac insula reperta inchoatus.

London: Typis T. Roycroft, Impensis Cave Pulleyn, 1667.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #002886

8vo (156 x 100 mm). [32], 223 [1] pp. Bound in contemporary vellum over thin boards, spine title in manuscript (little soling of vellum). Text little browned, occsional minor spotting, shelf marks to front pastedown and title. Very good copy in untouched original binding. ----

DSB IX, 312; Cobres I, 253,3; Agassiz III, 586; Henrey 255; Schuh, Merrett 1; Wing M1840; Graesse IV, 499. FIRST EDITION, second issue, of Merret's comprehensive catalogue of British flora, fauna, and minerals. William How's 'Phytologia (1650) was still in demand when it went out of print. At the publisher's request Merrett wrote Pinax to replace it. Since he was not fieldworker but a sedentary and inexpert naturalist, he enlisted all the help possible and revealed a wide knowledge of the relevant literature by giving more precise references than his predecessors had. The first impression one year before is quite rare as it just appeared before the great fire [of London], which apparently consumed most of the print run (ODNB). - Visit our website for additional images and information.

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