Charles BONNET

First edition illustrated with two title vignettes designed by Picart.

19th-century black Bradel binding in full boards. Orange calf title labels. Small rubbing to headcap. Handsome copy.

A major work on generation and embryology, in which one discovers the hypothesis of chromosomes as well as that of environmental influence. Bonnet perfects his thesis according to which every being exists previously in germ form in nature, thus the embryo already exists in the seminal fluid, and generation is merely the simple development of the germ, which, from small, develops through nutrition; the germ already containing everything that will be developed. Although

First edition, quite rare; a counterfeit edition appeared on the same date in Amsterdam.

Contemporary full glazed and marbled blonde calf binding. Decorated smooth spines. Red morocco title and volume labels. A small lack at head of volume I. Five corners slightly bumped. Rubbing. Good copy.

Without doubt Bonnet's most ambitious and remarkable study which earned him the designation of father of modern biology. This work of theoretical biology drawing its source from multi-disciplinary reflection and its postulate from Leibniz (the immortality of the soul) claims that the Earth periodically suffers universal catastrophes which destroy almost all life and that t