The Papilios of Great Britain, Systematically arranged, accurately engraved, and painted from Nature, with the Natural History of each Species, From a close Application to the Subject, and Observations made in different Counties of this Kingdom; as well a

Description:

Parallel text English/French. Second issue. The first issue was entitled 'The Insects of Great Britain' and was intended to be the first volume of a comprehensive work on British Insects. Lewin died in 1795 after only the first volume had appeared. The second issue has a new title page and the type in the text of the last gathering has been reset with the words 'The End' in place of 'End of the First Volume', otherwise the issues are identical. The figures engraved from the subjects themselves, by the author.

William Lewin (fl. 1791-c.1795) 'devoted much of his time to the study of natural history and published two works, on the birds and insects of Great Britain … which were engraved and coloured by himself.' (Lisney, p. 286). His text on the title page suggests that he reared many species from their early stages over a period of thirty years. 'The Papilios of Great Britain' is the first illustrated book solely devoted to British, or more precisely, English butterflies. Lewin's illustrations are noted for their accuracy compared to entomological works from earlier in the century.

Lisney, 411; Nissen ZBI 2488; Peter Marren, 'Rainbow Dust', p 90.

Condition

4to, cont. full panelled calf, gilt beaded and floral borders with corner motifs, rebacked preserving original backstrip, gilt rules and motifs to spine, new leather title piece, gilt beaded roll to edges of boards and decorative gilt tolling to turn-ins, all edges speckled, marbled endpapers. As usual with this work, there is a little oxidation of the white pigment to several figures of white butterflies. Very occasional isolated spot, but overall a clean and attractive copy in a fine binding.

Provenance: Bookplate of Rev. W.T. Bree, Allesley. W.T. Bree (1786-1863) was rector of Allesley, Warwickshire, for 40 years. He was a keen naturalist with an interest in botany, entomology, ornithology, etc., and contributed to natural history journals of the period. He corresponded with many leading naturalists of his day, including James Sowerby, Adrian Hardy Haworth, James Francis Stephens, Edward Newman and John Obadiah Westwood. In Westwood's British Butterflies and their Transformations (1841), Bree is cited as the source of information on habitat and distribution of many species of butterflies. Darwin also cited some of Bree's observations in his own writings on natural selection. (Mead-Briggs, (2015), 'The Butterfly Collection of the Bree Family' Dispar [Online]).