Elements of Botany

Thornton, R[obert] J[ohn]

Published by Printed for the Author, as Prizes in the Royal Botanical Lottery, by J. Whiting, London, 1812

About this Item

A CONGRESSMAN'S COPY IN ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S BOARDS. First edition. Octavo (9 1/4" x 5 7/8", 235mm x 149mm). [Full collation available.] The number of plates recorded is quite variable. Nissen calls for only 136 (52 in vol. I, 84 in vol. II) and various copies on the market boast 184, 196, 197 and 198 plates; the present copy has 199 in total (24 class-titles + 175 plates). Bound in publisher's beige drab boards, backed in beige cloth. On the spine, black morocco title-piece gilt and a small paper label with a blue decorative border. Some wear and rubbing the extremities of the boards. Spines evenly sunned. Dampstains to the boards of vol. I, and to the upper edge of the second half of the text-block, seldom coming down more than 1cm onto the plates. One plate in vol. II loose, and one nearly so. Very sporadic foxing and occasional offsetting. In all, quite a remarkable and solid copy in its original format (only three copies in original boards are recorded at auction: 2006, 1974, 1911). Ink ownership signature of W. Magee on the title-page of each volume, effaced in vol. I. Ink ownership signature of "J[etur] R[ose] Riggs M.D. 1854" to the title-page and rear paste-down of vol. I and to both paste-downs of vol. II. Robert John Thornton (1768-1837) was diverted from the life of a divine to that of a natural historian by his brilliant lecturer at Trinity College, Cambridge: John Martyn. Fortunate for us all: Thornton's towering Temple of Flora is in the very first rank of botanical illustrations. With the patronage of the Prince Regent, Thornton obtained an act of parliament in 1811 to institute a lottery for his botanical works, which raised some £70,000. The prizes ranged from the original watercolors (the grand prize -- and how) down through to the Temple of Flora and finally the Elements. Thornton was the great English adopter and popularizer of Linnæus's sexual system of plants. The Elements is an exceptionally straightforward primer of sorts to the Linnæan system; the second volume contains what amounts to a substantial glossary of the terms rendered in clear and plain language. It is unclear who W. Magee is, but J.R. Riggs is Jetur Rose Riggs (1809-1869), a New Jersey physician and congressman for New Jersey's 4th congressional district 1859-1861. Nissen BBI 1952. Seller Inventory # 6JLR0043

Bibliographic Details

Title: Elements of Botany

Publisher: Printed for the Author, as Prizes in the Royal Botanical Lottery, by J. Whiting, London

Publication Date: 1812

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Very good

Edition: First.