Books

Edition : Third edition. , Contemporary full calf, expertly rebacked in six compartments of raised bands, gilt title on two, endpapers marbled. , A very important book on the growth and management of trees in England. As the editor indicates, ?soon after the publication of the Silva, which made its appearance in 1664, under the Auspices of the Royal Society, the Spirit for Planting increased to a high degree; and there is reason to believe that many of our ships which, in the last war, gave laws to the whole world, were constructed from Oaks planted at that time.?John Evelyn was born into a substantial Surrey landowning family. He embarked on a prolonged and formative period of travel in Italy and France, finally coming to rest in Paris in 1647. He soon established himself as one of the foremost virtuosi of his day. Evelyn?s Silva was ?the first important book to be published in [Britain] on forest trees . . . no other work on the arboriculture exerted a greater influence on forestry in this country . . . and certainly no other book on the subject was so often quoted.?, Size : Small folio., Ex-libris on front pastedown endpaper. Title in red and black. With 1 copper-engraved plate and 3 copper-engraved in-text illustrations. Elaborate head and tail pieces throughout., Volume : Four volumes in one., P. title, blank, dedication (2), forward (16), advertisement (3), (47), 1-281; title, blank, dedication (1), blank, 287-334; title, blank, dedication (2), 339-412; title, blank, dedication (2), 5-38, errata (1). Some commentary on the front free endpaper in red ink, dated 1890; occasional faint browning; otherwise a very good copy.