British Entomology

It was a masterpiece of the engraver's and colourist's art, described by Pierre André Latreille (1762–1833) (but wrongly attributed to the eminent French naturalist Georges Cuvier) as the "paragon of perfection".

The final issue of the first edition (December 1839) included comprehensive indexes to all volumes plus a newly written eight-page preface summarizing the production, costs and efforts involved.

However, it is clear from the dedications to the individual volumes that he had help from the likes of Alexander Henry Haliday, James Charles Dale, William Kirby and others.

of British Entomology; or Illustrations and Descriptions of the Genera of Insects found in Great Britain and Ireland; containing Coloured Figures of the most rare and beautiful species, and of the Plants upon which they are found, &c. By John Curtis, F.L.S.The initial subscribers' list comprised 167 names, of whom 87 were committing to take the entire work even though the total size and final publication date were then unknown.

This reprinting commenced in January 1829 and continued until December 1839 and was concurrent with the printing of the remaining parts 31 to 192 of the first edition which were increased in number to accommodate the additional demand.

The text was comprehensively rewritten and reset with changes to nomenclature that later caused taxonomists some confusion since the dates on the accompanying plates were left unchanged.

In December 1839 Curtis stated in the heading of the final List of Subscribers that; "It is impossible to complete the sets belonging to the Parties ... having only taken a few of the early volumes" indicating that he had ceased production of plates and parts and sold out of essential back copies.

As a footnote to the preface issued with the final part in December 1839, John Curtis wrote: "To enable those who are ignorant of the nature of such undertakings, to form some conception of their risk and magnitude, it may be here stated, that the colouring alone of the Plates has already cost upwards of £3000", equivalent to £350,000 today (2017, Bank of England Sterling Index).

Those subscribing for all 192 coloured parts were committing to a total purchase price of £43.4s.0d., approximately the average annual income for a family living in London with husband, wife and one child working.

Each number contains four highly finished and accurately coloured figures of insects, with dissections of the parts from which the generic characters are taken, at the foot of the page.

Each of these figures is intended to illustrate a genus; and in order to be able to give plates of the most rare and beautiful species of each genus, and to record fresh discoveries as they occur, Mr. Curtis has not followed the usual plan of adopting any system of arrangement; a plan by which an author is frequently bound to publish sections of his subject, which have never obtained sufficient attention to bring them into anything approaching a state of perfection.

There are, perhaps, disadvantages attending this plan while in progress; but ultimately the work must, by this mode of publication, be rendered much more complete than it possibly could have been, had the genera been figured in regular succession.

The plates, generally, represent one Coleopterous, one Hymenopterous, one Lepidopterous, and one Dipterous or Hemipterous insect ; and we may safely say, we have never seen representations more elegant, or more true to nature.

The dissections we have, in many instances, examined and compared with the originals; and we are enabled to bear our testimony to their accuracy; and are convinced that engravings of this kind, tend more to fix the characters of genera on the mind than the most laboured descriptions.

We feel confident Mr. Curtis's excellent sense will convince him of the validity of these objections, especially when we assure him that many of his subscribers would prefer having no figure of the larva at all, to one copied from a foreign author.

The gaudy caterpillars already figured, give to this part of the work a semi-foreign appearance, which deteriorates its value in the eyes of the British Entomologist: we speak not unadvisedly; we make ourselves the organ of the sentiments of others

We conclude, by heartily recommending the work before us to the attention and patronage of every British Entomologist; and we already have the happiness of knowing that, on the Continent of Europe, it is held in the highest esteem.The criticism outlined in the penultimate paragraph was entirely unjustified as Curtis was well aware of the danger and modified Jacob Hübner's slightly exaggerated and somewhat crudely rendered original drawings so as to portray the true characteristics of the British subspecies.

The principal object of Mr. Curtis is to give Entomology the same advantages in this country which it has long enjoyed on the Continent; and no one who has seen the work can possibly deny the highest praise to the execution of it.

The descriptions are truly Linnæan; and to add to the effect and utility of the plates, figures of the flowers usually haunted by the respective insects are added, as well as all the members in dissection.

* One number a month was issued with great regularity, commencing January 1824, and finishing December 1839, so the dates on the plates may be accepted with certainty.

A very fine copy of the complete second edition in the original boards with all the replacing title pages, &c., which are dated "1823–1840" is also in the British Museum (Nat.

It is in generally good condition but suffers strong paper toning and appears mainly to comprise end-of-run impressions as they are all comparatively coarse and lack much of the finest detail.

The second, formerly at the Edge Hall Library, Malpas, Cheshire, England was originally purchased, as a complete presentation set, directly from Curtis in December 1839, by George Folliott (1801-1851) of Vicar's Cross House, Chester.

Wolley Dod whose Residuary Trust disposed of the more important works in the Edge Hall Library via auction in 2017 whence it was acquired by the present owner.

Its pristine, original condition makes it the finest known survivor, bound by White of Pall Mall in green, full morocco leather with triple-edge page gilding, outer and inner gilt dentelles.

A hint as to the possible history of one of them is to be found on page 4 of The Standard (London Edition) dated Wednesday 13 June 1900 where a report headed The Peel Library Sale reads, "Messrs Robinson and Fisher, at Willis's Rooms yesterday, held the first of a four days' sale of the library forming part of the Peel heirlooms.

", recording a featured lot, " a[sic] Presentation copy from the author of John Curtis' British Entomology, with 700 coloured plates, £14".

Other reported lots in the sale are mainly political in nature hinting that the presentation may have been to Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel during his second term of office.

Those listed as being in American universities usually comprise the 1862 lithographic reprints, either that or their catalogues are referring to one of the harlequin copies held either by the U.C.

As of 1 December 2019, eleven, complete, original, first edition copies, two with partially coloured plates, have been located and positively identified.