[Natural History] Evelyn, John Silva: Or, A Discourse of Forest-Trees…

York: Printed by A. Ward for J. Dodsley, et al., 1786. In two volumes. A New Edition (second Hunter edition). Bound with: Terra: A Philosophical Discourse of Earth... (York, 1786), as issued. Edited by Alexander Hunter. 4to. With a contemporary manuscript note on front blank, "plates Coloured by Miller for Dr. Hunter," likely indicating this volume was specially hand-colored by the engraver John Miller for the editor, Hunter. Illustrated with an engraved frontispiece portrait of Evelyn by Bartolozzi, 42 engraved plates with contemporary hand-coloring (one folding) by John Miller, two (of three) folding tables (one bound incorrectly). Quarter green morocco over green cloth-covered boards, stamped in gilt; all edges trimmed; scattered foxing to prelims and text; light offsetting from plates onto text. Henrey 138

"There can be little doubt...that no other work on arboriculture exerted a greater influence on forestry in this country than Evelyn's Sylva, and certainly no other book on the subject was so often quoted." (Blanche Henrey, British Botanical and Horticultural Literature Before 1800..., p. 108).

A handsome copy of this important work by English gardener and diarist John Evelyn (1620-1706) on English trees. Includes 42 magnificently engraved arboreal plates by the noted 18th century botanical engraver and draughtsman, John Miller, and with the very rare and original hand-coloring by him. As a note in this volume indicates, this beautiful hand-coloring was presumably executed for the editor, Alexander Hunter (1729-1809).

"Arboriculture was an endless source of interest and delight to Evelyn. Throughout his life he was constantly adding to his knowledge on the subject, from his own experience in the planting of trees, from observations made during his travels at home and abroad, and from other men's writings. From 1664 until 1706 Evelyn published four editions of Sylva and on each occasion the work was expanded. It contains an enormous amount of information concerning the cultivation of various kinds of forest trees, and the uses of their timber, together with facts and anecdotes obtained from books, both classic and contemporary. The work was a success from the start. Its publication gave a great stimulus to planting in Britain, Charles II setting the example with the replenishing of the Royal forests. (Henrey, p. 107). This edition, published 80 years after Evelyn's death, contains extensive notes by Dr. Hunter, and was preceded by his first edition of 1776, and was followed by three more editions, in 1801, 1812, and 1825. Re-published at a time of war with France, Britain's supply of native timber had become critically low since Evelyn's days, and Hunter's editions reinvigorated the planting of trees for patriotic as well as decorative reasons.

Alexander Hunter (1729-1809) was born in Edinburgh and studied medicine in London, Rouen, and Paris before receiving his Doctorate, in Edinburgh in 1753. Following brief stints practicing medicine in Gainsborough and then Beverly, he moved to York, where he lived until his death. He was a fellow at the Royal Societies of London and Edinburgh, and played an active role in establishing the Agricultural Society of York, in 1770.

As noted by Henrey, only some copies of Hunter's first and second editions contained hand-coloring. This copy, noted as being colored for Hunter himself, is an extraordinary association and is perhaps unique.