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Robert Wight (1796-1872)
Illustrations of Indian Botany; principally of the southern parts of the peninsula. Glasgow: Curll & Bell, [1830-]1831[-1833]. 4 parts(?) in one volume, large 4° (313 x 250mm). Collation: [A]-E2, F1(-F2 [blank]), G-S2 (Title [verso blank], text pp.[3-]70). 40 hand-coloured engraved plates by Joseph(?) Swan, 2 folding. (Small tear to lower blank margin of plate XXXIV.) 20th-century brown half morocco gilt, spine in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second, original upper wrapper to the first part laminated and bound at front, top edge gilt. Provenance: Sir William Jackson Hooker (1785-1865), presentation inscription to Christian, Countess of Dalhousie (d.1839, wife of the 9th Earl who was commander-in-chief in India, 1829-1832).
THE VERY RARE FIRST SEPARATE EDITION: A LARGE PAPER REISSUE POSSIBLY PRODUCED BY HOOKER FOR PRESENTATION ONLY, IN AN EFFORT TO PROMOTE WIGHT'S WORK IN INDIA. Robert Wight (incorrectly called Richard on the title of the present work) arrived in India in 1819 to take up his position as assistant-surgeon with an infantry regiment stationed in Madras. He employed local people to make collections of plants, a number of which were despatched to Britain. In 1826, Wight succeded Dr. Shuter as superintendant of the Madras Botanical Garden and besides making an extensive botanical tour of the south, he distributed a large number of duplicates to botanists world wide and employed some excellent local artists to record the flora and sylva of the area. In 1828, on the eve of starting a further tour, Wight was transferred to Negapatam as garrison surgeon and his former position at the botanic gardens was abolished.
Wight had been in contact with William Hooker as early as 1826 when Hooker received one of Wight's plant collections. It is clear from Hooker's introduction to the present work that he recognised the importance of Wight's work and in November or December 1830 the first part (illustrated with 10 plates) was published as pp.90-110 in part IV of Hooker's Botanical Miscellany. The second part (with 9 plates) appeared before September 1831 as pp.344-360 in part VI, the third (with 12 plates) before March 1832 as pp.84-104 in part VII and the fourth (with 9 plates) at the beginning of August 1833 as pp.291-302 in part IX. Wight was invalided home from India in 1831, just in time to get his christian name corrected for the later parts! In the present issue the text corresponds exactly with that published in the ...Miscellany but 15 leaves have had the type reset. The title page is exclusive to this issue. The plates are the same, but the larger format of the work as a whole allows them to be shown to their best advantage with all but two without folds, and generally with much wider margins. Only the engraver's name is given for the plates which are presumably from originals by 'native' artists.
Stafleu and Cowan list copies at four locations, two of which are incomplete. Auction records list only one incomplete (but inscribed) copy as having been sold during the last century. Given the circumstances surrounding the production of the work, its physical appearance and its rarity, it seems likely that it was used by Hooker to bring Wight's abilities to the attention of people with enough power and influence to help him in his career. Pritzel 10243; Stafleu and Cowan 17572.
Illustrations of Indian Botany; principally of the southern parts of the peninsula. Glasgow: Curll & Bell, [1830-]1831[-1833]. 4 parts(?) in one volume, large 4° (313 x 250mm). Collation: [A]-E
THE VERY RARE FIRST SEPARATE EDITION: A LARGE PAPER REISSUE POSSIBLY PRODUCED BY HOOKER FOR PRESENTATION ONLY, IN AN EFFORT TO PROMOTE WIGHT'S WORK IN INDIA. Robert Wight (incorrectly called Richard on the title of the present work) arrived in India in 1819 to take up his position as assistant-surgeon with an infantry regiment stationed in Madras. He employed local people to make collections of plants, a number of which were despatched to Britain. In 1826, Wight succeded Dr. Shuter as superintendant of the Madras Botanical Garden and besides making an extensive botanical tour of the south, he distributed a large number of duplicates to botanists world wide and employed some excellent local artists to record the flora and sylva of the area. In 1828, on the eve of starting a further tour, Wight was transferred to Negapatam as garrison surgeon and his former position at the botanic gardens was abolished.
Wight had been in contact with William Hooker as early as 1826 when Hooker received one of Wight's plant collections. It is clear from Hooker's introduction to the present work that he recognised the importance of Wight's work and in November or December 1830 the first part (illustrated with 10 plates) was published as pp.90-110 in part IV of Hooker's Botanical Miscellany. The second part (with 9 plates) appeared before September 1831 as pp.344-360 in part VI, the third (with 12 plates) before March 1832 as pp.84-104 in part VII and the fourth (with 9 plates) at the beginning of August 1833 as pp.291-302 in part IX. Wight was invalided home from India in 1831, just in time to get his christian name corrected for the later parts! In the present issue the text corresponds exactly with that published in the ...Miscellany but 15 leaves have had the type reset. The title page is exclusive to this issue. The plates are the same, but the larger format of the work as a whole allows them to be shown to their best advantage with all but two without folds, and generally with much wider margins. Only the engraver's name is given for the plates which are presumably from originals by 'native' artists.
Stafleu and Cowan list copies at four locations, two of which are incomplete. Auction records list only one incomplete (but inscribed) copy as having been sold during the last century. Given the circumstances surrounding the production of the work, its physical appearance and its rarity, it seems likely that it was used by Hooker to bring Wight's abilities to the attention of people with enough power and influence to help him in his career. Pritzel 10243; Stafleu and Cowan 17572.
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