89

Charles Darwin (1809-1882) & James Francis Stephens (1827-1845)

Illustrations of British Entomology; or, a Synopsis of indigenous Insects.

London: Published for the Author and by Baldwin and Cradock, 1829.
First edition, a single octavo volume, representing volume II: Haustellata [Moths], from the series of  containing the first mention of the young Darwin in print, most often crediting him with the collection of insects; illustrated with 12 hand-colored plates of moths numbered 13-24; bound in publisher's cloth boards, rebacked with a leather spine a new label: Darwin's First Word; ex libris Thomas Tate and Alnwick Scientific & Mechanical Institution, with bookplates; 10 x 6 in.

"Whilst he was an undergraduate at Cambridge, Darwin had sent records of insects that he had captured to James Francis Stephens, and some of these were published in Illustrations of British Entomology. He refers to the pleasure that he got from seeing his name in print against his records of beetles in his autobiography (Life and Letters, Vol. I, p. 51) although he gets both the title of the work and the method of citation wrong. Stephens' classic work was published in parts between 1 May 1827 and November 1845, with a supplement in August 1846." (Freeman)

For Darwin's contribution see page 200 in the Appendix section, "Page 136. Graphiphora plecta. 'Cambridge.' --C. Darwin, Esq."

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