A Botanical Arrangement Of British Plants; In Medicine, Diet, Rural Economy And The Arts. With An Easy Introduction to the Study of Botany, &c. &c

Birmingham: M. Swinney for G.G.J. & J. Robinson, 1792. Second edition. Hardcover. Vols. I-II contemporary marbled boards rebacked in brown calf with leather spine labels; Vol. III in contemporary quarter calf and marbled boards, corners worn, boards rubbed, spine foot worn. 3 vols. Very good. 1151 pages Vols. I-II, and 503 pages Vol. III. 21 1/2 x 14 cm. Illustrated with eight plates, five fold-outs, one plain and two in color. First published 1776 in two volumes (titled A BOTANICAL ARRANGEMENT OF BRITISH VEGETABLES.....), Vol.III, a first edition, 1792 describes cryptogamia only. "This edition, was rendered especially valuable by the addition of `a new set of references to figures.'" were by Jonathan Stokes (Vols. I-II) and Stokes and Withering (Vol.III). "Sir J.E. Smith considered, that Stokes performed with great judgment the laborious task of examining almost every figure, throughout the whole botanical library, which was referable to any British plant, and of disposing citations of the whole in order, according to their comparative excellence." [see: HENREY Vol.II, p.124]. Withering, a prominent physician of Birmingham authored two other major works: "Account of the Foxglove,and Some of Its Medical Uses" (1785) and "Botanical Arrangement." Withering was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1785. Biographical references and indexes. Scattered, intermittent age-toning, a few contemporary penciled text annotations.