Oliver Goldsmith
History of Earth & Animated Nature

 

These attractive hand-colored engravings are cut from Oliver Goldsmith's classic History of the Earth and Animated Nature, published by Blackie in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London, 1859.  The first edition (in eight volumes) appeared in London in 1774. The work sought to draw together virtually all that was known about the planet earth, its plants and animals, and even its human inhabitants described from a biological perspective.  Goldsmith had intended to translate Pliny's Natural History, but after reading Buffon, he decided that "the best imitation of the ancients was to write from our own feelings and to imitate nature."  Goldsmith's Animated Nature went through over twenty editions into the Victorian era and served as a popular source of information about the natural world.  The plates below are taken from the Blackie edition, which is dated 1859 .  The plates from this edition are often in deplorable condition: foxed, grubby, smeared.  With a few exceptions, however, the plates below are in excellent condition. This is especially true of the bird engravings.  The artist is James Stewart.

Size: 9.5 x 6 inches



Name
Price
Condition

GOLD-B48
 Sold
 Excellent
GOLD-B47
 Sold
 Excellent
GOLD-B36
 25.00
 Excellent -
GOLD-B37
 25.00
 Excellent
GOLD-B45
Sold
Excellent
GOLD-B39
25.00
Very Good

GOLD-B43
35.00
Excellent
GOLD-B46
Sold
Excellent
GOLD-B42
30.00
Excellent

GOLD-B41
Sold
Excellent
GOLD-B38
35.00
Excellent

 Oliver Goldsmith

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