FABRE (Jean-Henri). [The Plant]. Autograph... - Lot 16 - Métayer-Mermoz Maison de Ventes aux Enchères Paris

FABRE (Jean-Henri). [The Plant]. Autograph manuscript. S.l.n.d. ca. 1875], 78 pp. in-folio (29 x 19.3 cm), in sheets, central fold. BOTANY LESSONS FOR HIS SON JULIUS. This manuscript includes 14 chapters (out of 32 published) paginated from [1] to 269 : [First part: nutrition]. Chap. I. The polypier (pp. [1], 7). - II. The tree (pp. 8, 13 to 18). - III. Longevity of some trees (pp. 19-22, 27). - IV. Elementary organs (pp. 28, 30, 32, 38, 41). - V. Primordial divisions of the plant kingdom (pp. 42-45). - VI. Structure of the dicotyledonous stem (pp. 46-49, 56). - VII. Structure of the monocotyledonous stem (p. 62). - VIII. The root (pp. 69-75). - XI. Emigrant buds (pp. 109-112, 112 [bis]). - XIII. Leaves (pp. 123-127, 132). - XV. Arrangement of the leaves (pp. 145-154). - XVI. Movement of the leaves (p. 164). - Part Two: Reproduction]. Chap. III. Origin of the floral organs (pp. 250-257; on the back of p. 257 is the mention "La Plante de Fabre"). - IV. Inflorescence (pp. 258-269). The text presents some variations from the printed version, especially in the chapter headings. In the margins, Fabre cites numerous references to natural science textbooks or to his own works (La Bûche, Cours élémentaire de botanique, etc.). He also gives instructions to the printer; thus, for the first chapter: "This figure is very necessary. If the one I indicate is not available, have a similar one engraved. The draftsman will put eight tentacles on the animal, instead of seven, the wrong number" (p. 1). A chapter from another version is attached: Chap. XVIII: Metamorphoses (pp. 137-148), 12 autograph pp. La Plante was first published by Delagrave in 1876 under the title: "La science élémentaire. The Plant. Leçons à mon fils sur la botanique", and had several reprints. Cf. Cambefort, L'oeuvre de Jean-Henri Fabre, pp. 97-99.