Letters on the Elements of Botany, Addressed to a Lady

London, 1787 and 1788: For B. White. Octavo. 2nd edition. Translated into English from the French of J.J. Rousseau with notes and twenty-four additional letters fully explaining the system of Linnaeus. Two books in one. First part: Half-title, 500pp., [28]pp index, page 16 is mis-numbered 6. An additional title page dated 1788 titled "Thirty-Eight Plates with Explanations. This set of plates was intended to illustrate Linnaeus's System of Vegetables and Particularly Adapted to the Letters on the Elements of Botany in the University of Cambridge". All hand-colored plates present and one folding table. These plates, by F.P. Nodder, were not included with (truncated) the first or second editions. They were later published to be added to the those editions and subsequent editions making them the first edition of plates with text. Bound together in a handsome 20th century 1/4 leather over marbled paper covered boards with vellum corners, raised bands, spine lettered in gilt. An exceptionally nice copy with glue ghost to front pastedown from bookplate?. p. xxv numbered. See [ESTC T69543; T137987]. (Inventory #: 021580)