Oliver Goldsmith was an 18th century, Anglo-Irish writer best known for his poetry and novels, namely The Vicar of Wakefield. However, his natural history study “An History of the Earth and Animated Nature” may be better known among my own acquaintances. This richly illustrated work has been reprinted so many times over the centuries that if you see antique natural history prints at an oddities or ephemera show, it's a pretty good bet they are from Goldsmith's Animated Nature. Originally published in 1774 in 8 volumes. Offered here are volumes 3 and 4 collected in one book from 1852. Leatherbound with numerous black and white engravings. Volume 3 is about 80% birds with a few large land mammals at the start. Volume 4 covers fish, amphibians, reptiles, and insects.
The book is in good condition overall with some splitting at both ends of the spine and some scratches to the leather. Foxing throughout. retail
Product code: Retail Goldsmith’s Animated Nature Volume III