[Noël-Antoine Pluche] / [Humphreys, Samuel].

Spectacle de la Nature : Or, Nature Display’d. Being Discourses On such Particulars of Natural History As were thought most proper To Excite the Curiosity, and Form of the Minds of Youth. [With Chapters on The Cultivation and Manner of Pruning Fruit – Trees / The Plantation of Orange – Trees / The Plantation of Fig – Trees / The Plantation of Olive – Trees etc.] / [Including: “A Plate showing Elevation and Sections of a Mill on Boats”, which is basically illustrating the Invention of a Paddle Wheel Boat] / [Including: “A Memoir on the Fabric of Glasses at Saint Gobin”]. Illustrated with [204] Copper Plates. Uniformly bound set of Seven Volumes (complete set in three different editions: Third Edition / Fourth Edition, revised and Corrected / Sixth Edition).

London, Printed for R.Francklin etc., 1743. Small Octavo. Volume I: (in Sixth Edition, 1744): Frontispiece, [3], XVIII, 323 pages plus 13 pages of an Index / Volume II: (in Sixth Edition, 1743): Frontispiece, VIII, [4], 312 pages including Index / Volume III: (in Sixth Edition, 1743): Frontispiece, XVIII, 366 pages including Index / Volume IV: (In Fourth Edition,1743) Frontispiece, 368 pages including Index / Volume V: (In Fourth Edition, 1763): Frontispiece, [2], 329 pages / Volume VI: (In Third Edition, 1763): Frontispiece, [3], XXXII, 308 pages / Volume VII: (In Fourth Edition, 1763): Frontispiece, [4], 323, [1] pages. Hardcover / Original 18th century full leather with gilt lettering and ornament on spine. Very good condition with only minor signs of wear. From the library of Daniel Conner (Connerville / Manch House), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown. Extremely beautiful publication with an abundance of illustrations of Insects and Butterflies, Maps, etc. The 204 Plates overall in excellent condition with only very few of them with some tears. Interior and plates really bright and clean ! An exceptional version of this work.

The Work by Pluche is created as a Dialogue between a Prior and Chevalier as well as a Count and sometimes a Countess.

Volume I (Sixth Edition 1744): 26 Plates including Frontispiece (many of the plates are folding out)

Volume One is an introductory Volume and includes Chapters with Dialogues on Insects and Birds and Terrestrial Animals and Fishes and Plants and holds some initial Plates which illustrate what kind of Illustrations the reader can expect in the detailed Chapters of coming Volumes. Illustrations in Volume One include 16 Plates on Insects, Two Plates on Birds, Two Plates on Terrestrial Animals, One Plate on Fishes, Three Plates on Plants and a manuscript entry on “Aloe of China” (Daniel Conner has signed this book at the rear)

Volume II (Sixth Edition 1743): 35 Plates including Frontispiece (many of the Plates are folding out)

Volume Two starts with a fantastic Frontispiece, showing “The Vine planted in Gaul” and a full explanation of the Frontispiece follows on page VII. The Introduction to Volume Two could not better explain the aim of the publication: “The Plan of the Second Part – As we were desirous to exercise the Minds of young Persons with amusing subjects and to engage their attention to the Wonders of Providence [Pluche refers here to Divine Intervention] by the Mediation of pleasing Ideas; we endeavoured in the first Volume of this Work to present their View the Generality of these Animals, with which that Providence has replenished the various parts of Nature for the benefit of Mankind…..All our Readers are naturally desirous of Affluence and Distinction, Power and Happiness. This work will unfold to their View a Profusion of Riches and Liberalities, which cover the Surface of the Earth….″

Volume II includes the following chapters: The Parterre, or Flower-Plot / The Pleasures and Advantages of Gardening in General and of the Olitory or Kitchen-garden in particular / The Disposition of an Olitory or Kitchen – Gardenn / The Cultivation and Manner of Pruning Fruit – Trees / The Plantation of Orange – Trees / The Plantation of Fig – Trees / The Plantation of Olive – Trees / Fruits / Esculent Plants and Roots / Of Legumes etc. / Corn and Other Grain / Vines / Wine / Woods /

Volume III (The Sixth Edition 1743): 32 Plates including Frontispiece (many of the Plates are folding out) with one particular interesting Plate showing “The Orbit of the Earth in its Annual Revolution”:

Volume III is basically “The Sequel of the Second Part; giving an Account of the Surface of the Earth” and includes the following Chapters: Pasture and Meadow-Grounds / A Dialogue on Rivers / Of Fountains / The Ascent of Vapours from the Sea / Dialogue of Mountains / Dialogue of the Sea / Dialogue of the Air / Dialogue on Fossils / Dialogue on Quarries and Mines / Useful Reflections on the Whole in a Letter from the Prior to the Chevalier /

Volume IV (The Fourth Edition 1743): 27 Plates including Frontispiece (many of the Plates are folding out) / This particular Volume has many handcoloured maps included and several star – maps and a worldmap (slightly torn). This Volume also includes a Sequel, Containing The History of Experimental Physics.

Volume IV is a spectacular presentation of Maps on the Zodiac, Astrology in general and Commerce etc. Volume IV includes the following Chapters: A Plan of the Study if the Heavens / Dialogue of the Moon / Dialogue of the Azure of the Heaven / Dialogue of the Light / The Ways of the Light and the Wonders of Vision / Dialogue of the Colours / Dialogue of the Shade / Dialogue of the Uses of Fire / The History of Experimental Physics / The Invention of the Zodiac / The Discovery of the Polar Star / The Discovery of the Roundness of the Earth / The Invention of the Globes / The Mariner’s Compass – The Discovery of the East Indies and West Indies (With an Illustration of a Sea – Compass)/ The Telescope / The Microscopes and the Other Inventions of the Moderns / The History of Systematic Physics /

Volume V: (The Fourth Edition 1763): 21 Plates including Frontispiece (many of the Plates are folding out)

This Volume includes for example Dialogues on The Destination of Man on Earth / Man considered as Governor / The Excellence of the Human Body / The Dominion of Man proved from his Imagination / Man considered as Governor proved from the Extent of his Will, the Freedom of his Choice and the Direction of his Conscience / Dialogue on Usual Sciences – The Usual Logick [Logic]/ Of Mechanics / Of Opticks [Optic] /
At the End of Volume Five is a special section on “Mills [Wind Mills / Windmills] to Grind Corn with sensational Illustrations showinga Mill from the Outside and its interior Function – A Water Mill / A Wind Mill delineated by Leander / A Plan & Section of a Mill on Boats / A Plate showing Elevation and Sections of a Mill on Boats, basically illuistrating the Invention of a Paddle Wheel Boat.

Volume VI: (The Third Edition 1763): 31 Plates including Frontispiece (many of the Plates are folding out)

This particular Volume includes an abundance of illustrations (copper engravings) regarding the Craft of Weaving, Of Man’s Clothing containing the Materials and principal Ways of Making the different Sorts of Stuffs, Cloths, Serges, Tammines, Velvets

This Volume also includes an entirely theoretical part:

What regards Man, considered in Society / The Origin of Society / A Dialogue on Marriage / A Dialogue on Education / A Dialogue on
the Exercises of Children / The Suppression of Beggary / A Dialogue on Domestics and Journeymen / A Dialogue on Artisans and Working Tradesmen / A Dialogue on Man’s Food / A Dialogue on Man’s Clothing / On Apparels and Furniture / Of Skins and Leather – Dressing / A Dialogue on the Education of Boys /

With a sepcial section at the end of Volume VI, showing “The most usual Terms of Woolen Manufacture, ranged in the Order of Operation” plus “A Supplement to the Article of the upright Way of working Tapestry” /

Volume VII: (The Fourth Edition 1763): 32 Plates including Frontispiece (many of the Plates are folding out)

A wonderful Volume with Dialogues on: The Habitations of Man / The Furniture / Instructive Arts / Including a Sequel of Instructive Arts and Professions / The Agreement between the Rough and the Singing Music / The Province of the Rough Music / The Province of the singing Music / The french Paleography / The Writing and Language of the 16th and 15th Century / The Writing and Language of the 15th and 14th Century / The Writing and Language of the 13th and 12th Century / The Writing and Language of the 12th and 11th Century / The Writing and Language of the 11th and 10th Century / The Writing and Language of the 9th Century / The Writing and Language of the 8th, 7th and 6th and 5th Centuries /

The Third Sequel of Instructive Arts – Bell – Founding (With The Proportions of a Bell / The Fabric of the Mould / The Melting of the Metal / (Including a Plate which shows “The Mould and the Instruments for the Casting of Bells” / “The Measures or Proportions of Bells”) /

The Fourth Sequel of Instructive Arts shows Dialogues on The Clock / Wheel Clocks / The common Pendulum Clock / The Fusee / An Idea of a common Watch / The Pendulum with Weights and pointing out the Seconds / Commerce / The Love of Commerce and Travels / Politics or the Government of Nations / A Memoir on the Fabric of Glasses at Saint Gobin //

Noël-Antoine Pluche (13 November 1688 – 19 November 1761), known as the abbé Pluche, was a French priest. He is now known for his Spectacle de la nature, a most popular work of natural history.
Pluche, son of a baker, was born in Reims, in a street now named after him. He became a teacher of rhetoric. The Bishop of Laon made him head of the town’s college, a post he accepted to escape judicial consequences of opposing the papal bull Unigenitus (1713). He withdrew in 1749 to La Varenne-Saint-Maur, near Paris, where he died.

His Spectacle de la nature, ou Entretiens sur les particularités de l’Histoire naturelle qui ont paru les plus propres à rendre les jeunes gens curieux et à leur former l’esprit was published in nine volumes 1732–1742 [sometimes in seven volumes], and widely translated all over Europe. Although it influenced many to become naturalists, it was a work of popularization, not of science. (Wikipedia)

• Keywords: 18th Century – Rare · Botany · Botany – Rare · Herbal · Herbals · Herbarium · Illustrated Books · Illustrated Books Natural History · Illustrated Books Rare · Kitchen Garden (Illustrations of the 18th century) · Kitchen Gardens · Natural History · Natural History – Rare
• Language: English
• Inventory Number: 31839AB

EUR 2.480,--