A Popular History of the Mollusca;

early female science writer

First edition, in the original cloth binding. This uncommon work by botanist and popular science author Mary Roberts (1788-1864) is beautifully illustrated with 18 hand-coloured plates, and the text covers a wide variety molluscs, from the garden snail to ethereal marine creatures such as the paper nautilus.

Roberts was the granddaughter of Quaker botanist Thomas Lawson, the 'father of Lakeland botany" and a correspondent of John Ray and John Wilson. "Although Roberts would not have known her grandfather, his reputation may have sparked her interest in botany. Her brother, Oade, contributed to a botanical work as well' (Ogilvie, Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science, p. 1108). Robert's most famous book, published in 1831, was her account of the rural Gloucestershire of her childhood, The Annals of My Village (ODNB).

First edition; 8vo; hand-coloured frontispiece and 17 plates, single leaf of publisher's ads at rear, 20th century ownership signature in blue pencil to the front free endpaper, contents toned with the occasional small mark or spot; original red cloth, titles and floral decoration to spine and snail design to upper board gilt, contents a little shaken, hinges cracked, short split in the cloth of the upper joint, dampstain affecting the edge and upper corner of the cover, a few smaller spots on the lower board, corners bumped, cloth a little rubbed, a very good copy; 396pp.