EDWARDS (GEORGE, 1694-1773): Autograph letter signed to Lord Cardross, London 7 May 1763, writing in answer to a letter to which he has delayed his reply until the completion of the third part of his Gleanings ... 'the last thing I shall ever Publish, for my materials are gone, theye are bought by the Earl of Bute, they amounte to upward of 900 Original finished drawings and sketches from life and I aprehend they are for the Kings new Liberary now fitting up at Buckingham House', sending Lord Cardross, with his copy of the book, a few prints for colouring ('they may serve as an Amusement'), expressing pleasure that his correspondent is to become a member of the Royal Society, and sending Mr Baker's compliments as well as his own, one page sm. folio, annotation in another hand on verso (slight discolouration, part loss of one word, small tears neatly repaired on verso, with a small portrait engraving of Edwards (after J. Tookey), 105 x 150mm, mounted on paper (slightly dampstained)

Details

EDWARDS (GEORGE, 1694-1773): Autograph letter signed to Lord Cardross, London 7 May 1763, writing in answer to a letter to which he has delayed his reply until the completion of the third part of his Gleanings ... 'the last thing I shall ever Publish, for my materials are gone, theye are bought by the Earl of Bute, they amounte to upward of 900 Original finished drawings and sketches from life and I aprehend they are for the Kings new Liberary now fitting up at Buckingham House', sending Lord Cardross, with his copy of the book, a few prints for colouring ('they may serve as an Amusement'), expressing pleasure that his correspondent is to become a member of the Royal Society, and sending Mr Baker's compliments as well as his own, one page sm. folio, annotation in another hand on verso (slight discolouration, part loss of one word, small tears neatly repaired on verso, with a small portrait engraving of Edwards (after J. Tookey), 105 x 150mm, mounted on paper (slightly dampstained)

Lot Essay

Edwards had published the four volumes of his History of Birds between 1743 and 1751. Under the title of Gleanings of Natural History three additional volumes were published in 1758, 1760 and 1764, including engravings of nearly 600 subjects from natural history which had not previously been delineated. In a postcript Edwards writes that 'the Earl of Bute Generously payd me the Price I asked for my Drawings which was #300 : 0 : 0'. The Earl was at this time Prime Minister and favourite of George III, and Edwards notes that 'Party divisions run high' and hurt 'the pursutes of Drawing and Arts'. The 900 drawings were never, in fact, given to the King but kept by Lord Bute for his own magnificent library. They were sold in 1794 when his great collection of works on Botany and Natural History was dispersed

More from Books

View All