The Natural History and Antiquities of Selborne, in the County of Southampton Leather - 1875

London: Bickers and Son, 1875. Leather. Very Good. 9" by 6". Thomas Bewick; Harvey; et al.. Gilbert White's seminal natural history work, revised by James Edmund Harting, and bound in a full calf Bickers binding. An illustrated work in a full calf binding, with gilt detailing to the spine and marbled end papers and edges. Binder's stamp of Bickers & Son to the verso of the front free end paper. Ink inscription to the first blank.First published in 1789, this work has been in print continuously, with some three hundred editions up to 2007. It comprises a mix of letters addressed to other naturalists, phrenological observations and natural history observations. It was an immediate success, and is held as an early contribution to ecology and phenology, as well as a charming portrait of England pre-Industrial Revolution. Written by Gilbert White (1720-1793), a pioneering naturalist and ornithologist, this work has influenced many naturalists, including Thomas Bewick and Charles Darwin, with modern fans including David Attenborough and W. H. Auden.This edition was revised by James Edmund Harting (1841-1928), an English ornithologist and naturalist whose works include 'A Handbook of British Birds', 'The Ornithology of Shakespeare and 'The Birds of Middlesex'. Illustrated with in-text engravings by Thomas Bewick and others, as well as a folding facsimile plate. In a full calf binding. Externally, generally smart, though rubbed to the spine and extremities, with two marks to the rear board. Front joint cracked, and front hinge slightly strained but holding firm. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean except for some offsetting to the text and the odd spot to the first and last few pages. Very Good