Le Spectacle de la Nature: Ou Entretiens sur les particularites de l'Histoire Naturelle qui ont paru les plus propres a rendre les Jeunes Gens curieux, et a leur former l'esprit. Full leather, gilt decoration, marble endpapers - 1803

Complete set of this portable edition of Abbe Pluche's popular work on natural history for children, first published in 1732 and reprinted many times. First edition in 12mo, published in An 11 of the French Revolution (1803).

With 61 fine copperplates by Jacques de Seve, including 2 frontispieces, 4 folding celestial maps (illustrator). Plates engraved by Duhamel, Letellier, Racine and Bigani.

Vol. 1: 359pp, frontispiece, 5 plates of insects and shells; Vol. 2: 300pp, 5 plates of birds, animals, fish and plants; Vol. 3: 353pp, 7 plates of botany; Vol. 4: 336pp, 10 plates of botany and equipment; Vol 5, 347pp, 21 plates of fish, ships and shells; Vol. 6, 344pp, 3 plates of gems and astrology; Vol.7, 364pp, 8 plates (4 folding) of astrology; Vol. 8, 231pp, frontispiece.

With half titles, tables of contents and list of illustrations in each volume. Elaborate gilt decorated spines with red title labels and volume numbers. Some scuffing to boards, but interior fresh and all plates present and free of foxing. Rare to find complete sets of this small portable edition.Text in French.

Noel-Antoine Pluche, known as Abbe Pluche, was a French priest and author (1688-1761). His Spectacle popularized science in a conversational style for a young readership and was translated into many languages.

Jacques de Seve was a French artist who provided the quadruped plates for Count Buffon's Histoire Naturelle, 1749, as well as many plates for Panckoucke's Encyclopedie Methodique, 1782, etc.