ROYLE, J.F. Illustrations of the botany and other branches of the natural history of the Himalaya mountains and the flora of Cashmere. London, W.H. Allen & Co., 1839-1840. 2 volumes (text & atlas). Folio. (Text:) pp. (12), lxxviii, (2), 472; (Atlas:) pp. (6), with 1 handcoloured lithographed plan (of the Botanic Garden of Saharunpore) and 98 (instead of 100; 3 handcoloured) lithographed plates. Nissen BBI, 1690; Stafleu & Cowan 9734; Rix, p. 183: "A pioneering ecological study, with descriptions of the different types of vegetation and notes on the distribution of families and genera in the region". John Forbes Royle (1799-1858; British surgeon and naturalist) lived in India during 1799-1831. The above work is his most important contribution to botany, being a classic on the Himalayan flora. The authors main interest were the drug plants of the region and on page 240 of the offered work he recommended the introduction of cinchona (i.e. quinine) to India. The plates (of which about 90 depict plants) are finely executed; two (i.e. nos. 7, depicting birds, and 79, showing plants) are handcoloured and bound with as frontispieces to each volume. Plates 8 & 23, and the tinted engraved view (of the Himalayan mountains, belonging to the atlas) are not present |
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ROYLE, J.F. Illustrations of the Botany and other branches of the Natural History of the Himalayan mountains and the Flora of Cashmere. London, W.H. Allen & Co., (1833-) 1839 (-1840). 2 volumes (text & atlas). Folio (364 x 270mm). With1 handcoloured aquatint frontispiece (view of the Himalayan mountains), 1 handcoloured lithographed plan (of the Botanic Garden of Saharunpore), and 100 (97 handcoloured) lithographed plates, the majority by Vishnuprasad, some by Miss Drake, J. de Carle Sowerby, J.O. Westwood a.o. First
and only edition. A fine copy of the first major work on the
Himalayan flora. "A pioneering ecological study, with
descriptions of the different types of vegetation and notes on
the distribution of families and genera in the region" (Rix
p. 183). John Forbes Royle (1799-1858) was born at Cawnpore, in
India and studied medicine at Edinburgh University. He was
surgeon to the East India Company and curator of the Saharunpore
botanical gardens. One of the author's interests was the drug
plants of the region and on page 240 he recommended the
introduction of cinchona (i.e. quinine) to India. Many of the
fine plates are by Indian artists such as Vishnuprasad and M.
Gaucci. "During the eighteenth century as the Mughal Empire
declined, Indian painters formely under Mughal patronage sought
work from employees of the Hon. East India Company, many of whom
were eager collectors of drawings of Indian plants and animals...
Many hundreds of magnificant drawings made by Indian artists
during the early part of the nineteenth century under the
direction of British botanists such as Royle, Carey, Falconer,
Wallich and Roxburg are now in the Kew Herbarium (Blunt &
Stearn p. 185). Cowan & Stafleu 9734; Nissen BBI,
1690. |