The Calendar of Nature, Designed for the Instruction and Entertainment of Young Persons. The Third Edition.
by Aikin, John
- Used
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Moray, United Kingdom
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Joseph Johnson, 1787. Duodecimo (155 x 95mm). Contemporary tree calf, spine gilt in compartments, marbled endpapers. 1810 ownership inscription to the verso of the front free endpaper, pencilled notes of a similar date to the verso of the rear blank. Binding lightly rubbed at the extremities, the corner of B6 torn, not affecting the text, light spotting to the contents. Very good condition. Third edition of this charming little book on the changing of the seasons from month to month by the "physician and man of letters" John Aiken (1747-1822) (Hahn, The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature). Aiken charming combines practical knowledge of nature and gardening with literary references. For April he writes: "This month gives the most perfect image of Spring; for its vicissitudes of warm gleams of sunshine, and gentle showers, have the most wonderful effects in hastening that universal springing of the vegetable tribes, from whence the season derives its appellation. April generally begins with raw unpleasant weather, the influence of the equinoctial storms still in some degree prevailing, Its opening is thus described in a poem of Mr. Warton's: 'Mindful of disaster past, And thinking of the northern blast, The fleety storm returning still, The morning hoar; the evening chill; Reluctant comes the timid Spring...' Early in the month, that welcome guest and harbinger of Summer, the swallow, returns. The kind first seen, is the chimney, or house, swallow, known by its long forked tail, and red breast. At first, here and there, only one appears, glancing quick by us, as if scarcely able to endure the cold. 'The swallow for a moment seen, Skims in haste the village green'." A very nice copy in an attractive contemporary tree calf binding. With the ownership inscription and notes of a woman, Eliza Davenport, who obtained this copy in 1810. Davenport's short pencilled notes at the rear of the volume relate to a handful of observations of flowering plants and other phenomena.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Alembic Rare Books (GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 288
- Title
- The Calendar of Nature, Designed for the Instruction and Entertainment of Young Persons. The Third Edition.
- Author
- Aikin, John
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- Joseph Johnson
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1787
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Keywords
- Science|Biology|Natural History|Ecology|Zoology|Botany|Gardening
Terms of Sale
Alembic Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Alembic Rare Books
Biblio member since 2018
Moray
About Alembic Rare Books
We specialise in rare science books dating from the late Middle Ages to the 20th century, including first editions, signed copies, manuscripts, objects, and ephemera. We have particular expertise in natural history, genetics and evolution, anatomy, nuclear physics and the Manhattan Project, early computing, and women in science. We also carry books related to women's history and literature.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Tail
- The heel of the spine.
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....