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Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Company, 1822-24. 26 volumes (Complete 6th Edition in 20 volumes with the Supplementary edition in 6 volumes), 11 inches tall. A superb full diced calf with gilt raised bands and very fine gilt tooling to the panels. The diced boards are framed within twin gilt fillets. There is blotchiness to the panels of the first 20 volumes, some foxing and browning of leaves, a small amount of ancient superficial loss to long defunct insects, there is also a slight musty smell but the vast majority of plates and leaves are clean and there is no splitting. The first 20 volumes contain all 581 numbered engraved full page plates. The Supplement appears to lack I plate but has a total of 123 (more than called for) engraved full page plates and all 19 engraved maps. The 6th edition is difficult to find in remotely presentable condition and for all its minor faults this is a splendid set. With the green ticket of G. & J. Robinson Booksellers (and Binders) Liverpool.

Edinburgh: Bell & Bradfute, 1810. 5 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A remarkable and most attractive full Regency calf binding with twin inked raised bands and inked, blind and gilt tooling to the panels and boards, so typical of this period. With the bookplate of the famous collector Robert J. Hayhurst and neat stamp of R. Parker on the reverse of the free endpaper. 4 engraved plates. "Thomson's System was the first extensive treatise on Chemistry written in Great Britain....the objectives of the work were to promote the advancement of chemistry by collecting the numerous facts from their scattered sources, to incorporate the history of the development of Chemistry and to give exact references to the original works in which the discoveries were reported. To make this edition up to date important additions and alterations were introduced into almost every chapter, also some new sections were added increasing the text to five volumes." (Cole). A splendid set of the expanded and improved 4th edition of this landmark scientific work.