Philip Rashleigh (1729-1811). 'Specimens of British Minerals...

Philip Rashleigh (1729-1811). 'Specimens of British Minerals,' 'Selected from the Cabinet of Philip Rashleigh of Menabilly in The County of Cornwall Esq M.P,' London: W. Bulmer & Co for G & W Nicol and J. White, 1797-1802, first editions, 2 parts bound in one volume, quarto, one of the most attractive books on minerals, with the first part being published in 1797 and contains 33 aquatint plates illustrated by henry bone (1755-1834) of Truro, the second part published in 1802 with 21 hand coloured aquatint plates (comprising 20 plates of minerals and one of strata) with general descriptions of each article, the hand coloured plates in vol 2 are mainly illustrated by Medland and others after J. R. Underwood with occasional light foxing. Tipped in a letter addressed from 'Menabilly 26th July 10 p.m. Dear Sir, I believe this will overtake a letter I sent this morning & I write to give you the earliest account of the box with the pictures being and arrived. My servant brought it in from Fowey where it came by water from Lostwithiel & I think they said it came to Lostwithiel by a waggon which is by much the best way for anything liable to damage as the outside of the box was wet I immediately opened it & found the things exceeding we; pack and quite dry. I have not opened my brother Charles’s Pikture of Earl Mount Edgecumbe as it seems so very secure. I shall deliver it to him on Monday. I once more thank you for your trouble & am Dear Sir Your most Honourable servant Philip Rashleigh.' Philip Rashleigh served as the M.P. for the local family constituency of Fowey from 1765 until 1802. The family home Menabilly is situated between Fowey and St Austell. The latter being an important centre for China Clay mining, so Rashleigh was ideally placed to pursue his interest in geology, forming one of the most distinguished early collections of minerals. Of particular note are his unsurpassed examples of Cornish minerals which are meticulously detailed in this work. With the bookplates of Mr J. Paul de Castro, School of Mines, Redruth, Cornwall and John Blowey, with the sticker of W. Heath, books bought or exchanged 29 ½ Lincoln ‘s Inn Fields, in an original tooled binding with gilt lettering and gilt embossed on the spine and covers, a near fine copy of a scarce work.