Lot 73: ROBINET, Jean-Baptiste-René De la nature. Amsterdam E. van H

ROBINET, Jean-Baptiste-René De la nature. Amsterdam E. van Harrevelt 1761-1766 4 parts in 3 vol., 8vo: xx-456, xvi-443, lvi-287- 1 , 4 -iii- 1 -284 pp. (+/- brown. throughout, sm. burn affecting text to 2A/I, sm. marg. hole to H7/III). Contemp. marbled calf (corners sl. rubbed), gilt orn. spines (different tools) on 5 raised bands, red leather labels, red edges. Good set. We join : Id. - Considérations philosophiques de la gradation naturelle des formes de l'être, ou Les essais de la nature qui apprend à faire l'homme. Paris, Saillant, 1768. 8vo: 4 -260 pp. (some stains, lower endpaper defect.). Similar binding ("tom V" on spine). (4 vols) Main works of the ex-Jesuit Robinet (1735-1820), regarded as one of the precursors of Darwin. The 1st one in first edition. Ill. with 4 title vignettes (repeated in parts II-IV), 1 frontisp. and 6 plates by Jakob Van der Schley in vol. III picturing i.a. fishes and frogs. Published anonymously, part I caused a scandal and was attributed to Diderot or Helvétius, whereupon Robinet admitted his authorship. "Robinet draws close to an evolutionary hypothesis in his concept of nature as experimenting and as developing toward greater complexity; he also considers all species as related ... He also pictures a biological struggle for existence and a natural balance, but does not relate these to transformism" (Encyclopedia.com). At the end of part III: "Dialogue sur les bornes du monde, traduit du latin de Samuel Werenfels ... ". 2nd work also published the same year in Amsterdam with variant title "Vue philosophique de la gradation naturelle ... ". Ill. with 10 very curious plates by Van der Schley, representing a phallic stone, a mermaid, a monstrous chicken, a couple of pongos (monkeys), a foetus-pongo in a jar, etc. Ref. 1 Conlon 61:999 (BL, BN, NUC). - Goldsmith's Libr. 9654. - STCN. - 2 Conlon 68:1361 (= BL, BN, NUC). - Cp. Caillet 9509. - 1 & 2 Blake 384. - Bibl. Esot. 4174 and 4175. - "Robinet, Jean-Baptiste-René (1735-1820)." in Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Encyclopedia.com.".