The Natural History of Bees. Containing an Account of their Production, their Oeconomy, the manner of their making Wax and Honey, and the best Methods for the Improvement and Preservation of them

FIRST EDITION, 12 engraved folding plates, ownership note on title head, F4 misnamed G4, contemporary speckled calf, “Bees” manuscript to spine, 8vo, London, for J. and P. Knapton, 1744

A culturally significant work on honey bees, with the engraved plates illustrating the anatomy of the bee, the structure of the hive and honeycomb. This is an altered translation of de Reaumur’s ‘Memoires pour servir a l’histoire des insects’. Bazin presents his version in the form of a dialogue: ‘ I shall content myself with representing Clarissa as the mistress of a family, residing in the country of her own estate . Eugenio, the other person of the dialogues is the author; and though he borrows almost all his facts from M. de Réaumur, though he often copies his expressions, ’tis still Eugenio, who is accountable for the use he makes of them’.

Provenance: Elizabeth Lloyd