Author: CURTIS (William)
Title: A Catalogue of the British, Medicinal, Culinary, and Agricultural Plants, Cultivated in the London Botanical Garden. To which are prefixed, Proposals for opening it by Subscription.
Description: London: Sold by B. White, 1783. First edition, 8vo (170 x 110 mm), vi, [2], 9-149, [3]pp., with the final advert leaf and list of 40 subscribers which includes Sir Joseph Banks, Lord Bute, Daines Barrington Lettsom, and Thomas White, folding plan, orig. boards, rubbed, uncut, paper spine chipped, but still a very good copy in original state, uncut. In 1777 William Curtis (1746-1799) began to lay out a Botanic Garden at Lambeth Marsh, 'somewhat more than an acre in extent, situated to the north west of the Magdalen hospital'. This enterprise Curtis made known to the public in 1778 with the publication of his Proposals for opening by subscription, a botanic garden, to be called the "London Botanic Garden". He closed this pamphlet with the statement: 'The garden to be opened the 1st of January, 1779.' The garden was duly opened In 1783 "to members of the public at a subscription of one guinea a year and had a library for their use. To stock it Curtis received plants "from his Majesty's matchless collection of plants in the Royal Gardens at Kew," from the Chelsea Physic Garden and from the private gardens of Pitcairn, Fothergill, John Coakley Lettsom, Sir Joseph Banks and many others, and also the nurserymen L,, Gordon Malcolm, Davies, Loddiges and Grimwood."—Henrey. Curtis published this catalogue of the London Botanical Gardens and dedicated it to the two principal patrons of the undertaking. Daines Barrington (1727-1800), the noted lawyer, antiquary, and naturalist, and Thomas White (1724-97), a brother of Gilbert White of Selborne. Provenance: Contemporary ink ownership signature of G. N. Hall; presentation inscription from J. Rayner to Miss Starr, 1952. This catalogue is rare in commerce and has the leaf C2 which is often wanting; Henrey, 591.

Keywords: BOTANY BOTANICAL BOOKS NATURAL HISTORY AGRICULTURE LONDON BOTANICAL GARDEN