John Hill | A decade of curious insects, London, 1773, marbled wrappers

John Hill

A decade of curious insects: some of them not describ'd before: shewn in their natural size; and as they appear enlarg'd before the lucernal microscope; in which the solar apparatus is artificially illuminated. London: for the author, to be sold by B. White and others, 1773

4to (303 x 227mm.), 10 hand-coloured engraved plates, original marbled wrappers, uncut (showing that the plates are on larger paper than the letterpress text), slight loss of pigment from plate 1, page edges slightly creased, wrappers slightly worn, tacketing becoming loose

This short work on English insects was first published the previous year; this issue has a cancel title-page and an index.

"Ladies who may chuse to paint these Insects themselves may have Sets of the Cuts on Royal Paper painted pale for that purpose" (letterpress text on verso of title-page); this has been interpreted to mean that the work was not very scientific in intent, and it has had a poor reputation academically.

LITERATURE:

ESTC T32177; Nissen ZBI 1938