Animal and Vegetable Physiology. ROGET (Peter Mark).

Animal and Vegetable Physiology Considered with Reference to Natural Theology.

Pickering Aldine anchor device on titles, woodcut illustrations in the text.

Two volumes. 8vo. [221 x 132 x 76 mm]. xxxvii, [i], 593, [1] pp; vii, [i], 661, [1] pp. Contemporary bindings of brown polished calf, the covers with a border of a triple gilt fillet and blind roll, outer panel of a blind fillet and inner panel of blind fillets and gouges. The spines divided into five panels by raised bands tooled in gilt, lettered in the second and fourth panels on maroon goatskin labels, the others with gilt compartments and arabesque tooling, the edges of the boards and turn-ins tooled with a gilt roll, yellow endleaves, gilt edges. (Very slightly rubbed or scratched).
London: [printed by C. Whittingham for] William Pickering, 1834

The second edition of the fifth Bridgewater Treatise. A remarkably fine copy, showing almost no sign of use or wear. It is surprising that the binding has not been signed, as it is of high quality. It is probably from Belfast, and Marcus Ward is a possibility.

There is a large printed label covering the inside of both front covers, reading: "Presented to Robert Stephenson, Esq. M.D. by his Bretheren of the Belfast Medical Society; with an Address, Expressive of their Grateful Sense of his Invaluable and Laborious Services as Secretary to that Institution, Performed, during a Period of Sixteen Years; and as a Small Testimonial of their High Esteem and Sincere Respect for him as a Physician and a Gentleman. Belfast, 11th June, 1838". There are two blanks at the front of both volumes signed in ink by 32 of his fellow doctors and surgeons.

The Belfast Medical Society was founded in 1806 as a medical library, but it ran into trouble about 1814 and ceased to exist in 1818. It was revived by Robert Stephenson in 1822, though with only five members to begin with. Stephenson served as the first Secretary and his retirement in 1838 was marked by a public breakfast in the Temperance Hotel in Waring Street and a presentation of the Bridgewater Treatise, specially bound and containing the autographs of the members (as reported in the Ulster Medical Journal, September 2017). In November 1850 Stephenson was elected the first President, and his address to the Society in the following month was printed by Marcus Ward & Co. and presented to the members.

Stock no. ebc7489