The Book of Nature: or, the History of Insects

Complete set of the 53 copperplate engravings only from this seminal work of microscopy by Jan Swammerdam (1637-1680), the pioneering Dutch biologist.

Swammerdam was one of the outstanding comparative anatomists of the seventeenth century. His most remarkable work was in the field of insect anatomy, which he undertook in order to disprove Aristotle's claims that insects lack internal anatomy, develop by metamorphosis and arise from spontaneous generation. By refining his techniques of micro-dissection and injection, Swammerdam was able to illustrate for the first time the complex internal structures of insects, including their reproductive organs.

These observations are "indubitably the foundation of our modern knowledge of the structure, metamorphosis and classification of insects" (Cole, p. 285).

Biblia naturae, Swammerdam's major work, was published 57 years after his death by Herman Boerhaave, who assembled it from unpublished manuscript materials integrated with a slightly revised version of Swammerdam's Historia insectorum generalis (1669). The Book of Nature, the English translation of Biblia naturae, was prepared by the physician John Hill (1716?-75), author of the Vegetable System (1759-75), etc.

The fine, detailed copperplate engravings, many after Swammerdam himself, show microscopic anatomical structures in insects, amphibians, etc. Includes the reproductive organs of a queen bee, microscopy of scorpions, mosquitoes, beetles, frogs and tadpoles, mollusks, etc.

Recent honey-coloured leather binding with five raised bands, gilt leather title label, marble boards, new endpapers, facsimile of title page bound in, dedication page and all 53 fine copperplate engravings only. Pages with some overall age-toning and dust along edges. (Lacks biography of the author and all text pages.)