A Fine Collection of American Literature and History

London: Henry G. Bohn, 1840. New Edition. Folio. 83, (1), (4) pp. Illustrated with an engraved hand-colored decorative title-page, one unnumbered hand-colored anatomical plate, and 44 numbered and beautifully hand-colored engraved plates, many heightened with gum arabic; lacking the very rare frontispiece found in only a few copies. Three-quarter crimson morocco over marbled paper-covered boards, brown morocco spine label, stamped in gilt, extremities and joints slightly rubbed, boards faded; all edges gilt; matching marbled endpapers; front and rear blanks foxed; from the library of Christopher Turnor, and with his armorial Stoke Rochford Library book-plate on front paste-down.

A handsome copy of this revised edition of Moses Harris's famed work on butterflies and moths. With the advance of scientific knowledge since the first publication of Harris's work in 1768, "it has been considered that it would be most advantageous to those engaged in the investigation of the beautiful tribes so beautifully illustrated by Harris, that the descriptions given originally by the Author should be accompanied by the modern scientific names of the insects figured, their synonyms, references, &c. as well as by additional observations upon their manners and transformations." (from the Preface). Publisher Henry Bohn organized this new edition with new material from preeminent English entomologist John O. Westwood using Harris's original drawings as the basis for these magnificently engraved and hand-colored plates.

Christopher Turnor (1809-86) was an English Conservative Party politician and member of Parliament representing South Lincolnshire from 1841-47.