The Natural History of Bees; Containing An Account of Their Production, Oeconomy, The Manner of Their Making Wax and Honey, and The Best Methods for The Improvement and Preservation of Them. Translated from the French [by P. Vailant].

1744. For J. and P. Knapton, and P. Vailant, 1744. 8vo. Later full brown leather, spine with raised bands and red gilt morocco lettering pieces; pp. [xvi] + 452 (+ 16pp. index), and 12 folding engraved plates at rear; occasional marginal annotation, occasional very light spotting, very good. First edition in English. Preface: "The care and culture of Bees have always been one of the most agreeable and useful employments of a country life. The antients cultivated these animals with care, from a prospect of honey, which was among them as much in use as sugar among us. But since it has been thought proper to substitute sugar in the room of honey, the latter has fallen into considerable discredit: but then, in return, wax has become the subject of a very considerable commerce ... " The book takes the form of a dialogue, between "Clarissa", who needs to know more about every aspect of bees and bee-keeping, and "Eugenio", the author in disguise. B.B.B. - "There is no hint in the book as to who did the translation, but it may well have been P. Vailant, who is known to have been in Paris in 1739 and may have translated from the proofs. The Vailants were a French Protestant family who settled in The Strand as foreign booksellers at the time of The Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. British Bee Books 96.