A William Smellie translation of George Louis Leclerc Buffon’s great work of Natural History. A SUPERB EXAMPLE with beautiful golden coloured calf binding typical of England in the late eighteenth century. Smellie was a member of the Antiquarian and Royal Societies of Edinburgh. The second Edition according to the title although no earlier edition could be identified. In nine volumes with approximately 5,000 pages and 308 fine copper engraved plates including a frontispiece engraving of the Count de Buffon. Volumes 2 – 8 cover mammals and volume 1 covers meteorological, geographical and celestial phenomena. The last volume covers the additions and corrections to the first. The second volume contains an interesting sixteen pages of tables recording the mortality rates in French parishes and the probabilities of the duration of Human life. Provenance: from the Library of Sir Richard Johnstone Bart., with bookplate. Nissen 718.