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[NATURAL HISTORY]. BONNET, Charles (1720-1793). Oeuvres d’Histoire Naturelle et de Philosophie… Neuchatel: Samuel Fauche, 1779-73. 4tos. With a fine engraved portrait of Bonnet in volume one, three folding printed tables, 56 engraved plates (1 missing), mostly folding, and many engraved text vignettes throughout. Complete. All 10 parts bound into 8 volumes. Approximately 10 x 8”. Contemporary half brown calf over speckled boards, spines ruled in gilt, 2 brown gilt morocco lettering labels on spines (hinges professionally repaired, some light wear, soiling to bindings, occasional thumbsoiling or foxing in text). Fine. FIRST COLLECTED EDITION OF THE PREFERRED LARGE QUARTO ISSUE OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS OF CHARLES BONNET. Subjects in volumes as follows: I: Treatise on Insectology or Observations on Aphids (4 plates). Various observations on insects (10 plates). II: Memoirs of natural history (2 plates, 1 table). Research on the use of leaves in plants (31/32 plates announced; plate IX never issued). III: Considerations on organized bodies. IV: Contemplation of nature (in 2 parts). V: Writings of natural history (8 plates) (in 2 parts, including several “Memoirs” on the Salamander). VI: Analytical essay on the faculties of the soul. VII: Philosophical Palingenesia. VIII: Essay on psychology and miscellaneous writings. Having become famous at the age of twenty with his discovery of the parthenogenesis of aphids, Charles Bonnet (1720-1793) built an important body of work in the field of biology and botany before turning to psychology and philosophy. He is easily considered today as the father of modern biology. Resulting from the collaboration of the author and the printer Samuel Fauche, these “works of natural history” constitute one of the great publishing companies carried out in Neuchâtel in the 18th century (Schlup, Samuel Fauche printer of Charles Bonnet, 2010.) Brunet, I, 1103. Hoefer, Zoology, 1873: 295-302.