This original engraving is approaching 200 years old • Approx. 5” x
9 • and is a copper-plate engraving from Oliver Goldsmith's (1728-1774) A
History of the Earth and Animated Nature. The first edition (in eight
volumes) appeared in London in 1774. The work sought to draw together virtually
all that was known about the planet earth, its plants and animals, and even its
human inhabitants described from a biological perspective. Goldsmith had
intended to translate Pliny's Natural History, but after reading Buffon,
he decided that "the best imitation of the ancients was to write from our
own feelings and to imitate nature." Goldsmith's Animated Nature
went through over twenty editions into the Victorian era and served as a
popular source of information about the natural world.
Title Page Shown, but not Included
Fortunately Some Pages Were Saved with the Plates,
so At Least One Original Descriptive Text Page will be Included
(but not a complete article)