London : Impensis G. B. 1601 [Vol. 2 Printed by Adam Islip, 1601]. First Edition in English
2 volumes in 1, folio, (324x208mm) [-]6, ❡4, a-b6, A8, B-Iii6, Kkk4, 357 leaves (lacking first blank), and A-Ggg6, Hhh4, Iii-Ooo6, Ppp8, 365 leaves (lacking last blank, Ppp2&7 in duplicate), cancel title to vol. 1 with imprint reading Impensis G.B.[ishop], occasional early ink marginalia and underlinings ,with an elegant cloverleaf nota mark, minor holes in vol.1 foremargin of V4 and in vol.2 lower margin of Dd3, none affecting text, 17th century full calf, triple fillet centre panels with floral cornerpieces in blind, spine fully gilt with stars, circles, and a distinctive carnation tool, title labels in 2nd and 3rd compartments, hinges sometime expertly renewed, a fine, tall and clean copy.
Written in the first century AD, Pliny's "Naturalis Historia" was essentially the highest authority for centuries on subjects relating to botany, zoology, geography, mineralogy, pharmacology, etc. It soon became a standard book of reference; abstracts and abridgements appeared by the third century. Bede owned a copy, Alcuin sent the early books to Charlemagne, and Dicuil, the Irish geographer, quotes him in the ninth century. It was the basis of Isidore's Etymologiae and such medieval encyclopedias as the Speculum Majus of Vincent of Beauvais and the Catholicon of Balbus. Holland is generally considered the greatest translator of the Elizabethan age. Lowndes regards this book as "A work of immense labour, and what few men of his time could have executed in a superior manner to Dr. Holland." It was claimed by Sir Sidney Lee to be ‘his most popular translation’.
STC (2nd ed.) 20029.5 [ESTC S115918] Pforzheimer 496 Lowndes p. 1885 McKerrow & Ferguson no.148