CUVIER Georges Tableau élémentaire de l’histoire naturelle des animaux.

Nissen, ZBI, 1012; Norman, 564.

First edition.

This was Cuvier’s first published work, in which he set out his classification of the animal kingdom. He demonstrated the superiority of observation and comparative anatomy over theory, and his empirical approach had a major influence on nineteenth-century biologists.

“Cuvier’s Tableau élémentaire – his first separate work – contains the first general statement of his natural classification of the animal kingdom” (Norman).

A fine copy, well bound at the time.