A History of the Earth and Animated Nature

London: William Charlton Wright, 1824. Cloth. Good. 9.5" by 6". Not Stated. A very scarce three volume edition of Goldsmith's study of the animal kingdom, with numerous engraved illustrations. The very scarce three volume illustrated 1824 edition of Anglo-Irish novelist, playwright and poet Oliver Goldsmith's work of natural history, first published in 1774.A beautifully illustrated treatise on the animal kingdom, looking at birds, fish, insects and many more aspects of the natural world. The work sought to draw together all that was known about the planet and its plants and animals in the late eighteenth century.With a beautiful hand coloured frontispiece to each volume, 50 plates in total, with 98 engravings. Collated, complete.Further engraved plates to those referred to in the binder's instruction of Volume III are also included, with engravings of eleven further animals present. In the publisher's original cloth covered boards, with paper labels to spine. Significant loss to spine label of volume II, with minor losses to vols I and III. Discolouration to back strip and board perimeters, with bumping to spine head and tail. Small amount of worming to head of front pastedown and preliminary pages of vol III. Internally, firmly bound. Some offsetting to pages facing plates, with scattered spotting throughout. Good