“THE BEST WORK OF NATURAL HISTORY TRAVELS PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND”: FIRST EDITION OF BATES’ THE NATURALIST ON THE RIVER AMAZONS

BATES, Henry Walter. The Naturalist on the River Amazons, A Record of Adventures, Habits of Animals, Sketches of Brazilian and Indian Life, and Aspects of Nature under the Equator, during Eleven Years of Travel. London: John Murray, 1863. Two volumes. Octavo, original gilt-stamped burgundy cloth, uncut. Housed in a custom clamshell box.

First edition of “one of the finest scientific travel books of the 19th century” (DSB), with 42 illustrations and a folding map of the Amazon, in lovely original cloth.

A staunch Darwinist who, in turn, introduced Darwin to the phenomenon of mimicry, Bates was a prominent naturalist working along the Amazon in South America. Darwin, who had effusively praised Bates’ “Contributions to an Insect Fauna of the Amazon Valley” in 1862, “strongly recommended Bates to publish a narrative of his travels, and with this object introduced him to the publisher, John Murray… In January 1863 Murray issued Bates’ Naturalist on the Amazons, which has been described as ‘the best work of natural history travels published in England.’ Apart from the personal charm of the narrative, Bates as a describer of the tropical forest is second only to Humboldt. His breadth of view saved him from the narrowness of specialism and he was as far removed as possible from what Darwin called ‘the mob of naturalists without souls… The highest compliment [the book] received was the remark of John Gould to the author: ‘Bates, I have read your book—I’ve seen the Amazons… The book takes place between Darwin’s Journal and Wallace’s Malay Archipelago as one of the durable monuments of English travel literature. The narrative grips the reader at once and inspired him with an intense desire to visit the regions described, while the concluding meditation upon the exchange of a tropical for an English climate (with the countervailing advantages and disadvantages) merits a place of high honor among English prose extracts” (DNB). With advertisements. Contemporary gift inscription. Bookplate of Yale University Library’s collection of books amassed by important early conservationist and North American explorer Charles Sheldon. Sheldon was responsible for creating a national park to protect Mount McKinley and its surrounding land. This book was given to the library by longtime Chemical Foundation president Francis P. Garvan.

Front free endpaper of Volume II excised, inner paper hinges expertly reinforced, original cloth quite fresh and nearly fine with only minor rubbing, gilt extremely bright. An exceptional copy in near-fine condition.