THE FIRST BOTANICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY ARRANGED BY SUBJECT

LINNAEUS, CARL (LINNÉ).

Bibliotheca Botanica. Recensens libros plus mille de plantis huc usque editos, secundum systema auctorum naturale in classes, ordines, genera et species dispositos, additis editionis loco, tempore, forma, lingua caet. Pars 1Edito Nova Multo Correctior.

Halae Sailcae [i.e. Stockholm]: Apud Io. Gottl. Bierwirth, 1747.

8vo. Contemporary marbled paper binding with handwritten paper label to spine. Occational signs of wear. Overall a very nice copy. [XIV], 124, [8] pp.

Second edition of Linnaeus' important "Bibliotheca Botanica" (without the Fundamentorum Botanica, which appeared simultaneously), his highly important, elaborate classification system for his catalogue of books. This significant work constitutes the first botanical bibliography arranged by subject and the work in which the term "methodists" is coined.

"The Bibliotheca is a concise history of botany in a dry, enumerative, but very efficient style. Linnaeus describes the development of botanical science by subdividing the authors in various categories and by adding several statements on the main events in human affairs without which the growth of botany as a science cannot be understood. The often enlightening and amusing names for the various categories of botanists show not only a good knowledge of the literature, but also an awareness of the fact that botanical history is human history." (Frans Stafleu).

The "Bibliotheca Botanica" is complete in itself. It was contemplated as the first part of a planned Bibliotheca medica (which he never wrote). It first appeared in 1736, and the present second edition constitutes a reprint of the first edition of the text, with the addenda and errata of Linnaeus inserted in their place. The work appeared again in 1751.

Soulsby: 251.

Order-nr.: 58827