SMITH, Charles. The Ancient and Present State of the County and City of Cork. Containing a Natural, Civil, Ecclesiastical, Historical, and Topographical Description thereof. Illustrated with a large folding map of the county and several other plates (some folding). List of subscribers.

Two volumes. Cork: Printed by John Connor, 1815. Octavo. Second and best edition. pp. (1) vii, [ix] 428, (2) 433, 6. Contemporary half calf over marbled boards, title in gilt on contrasting labels on spines. All edges marbled. From the library of Joseph Wright with his bookplate. Minor wear to extremities. A very good set.

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Provenance: From the library of Joseph Wright (1834-1923). He was born in Cork and educated at the Quaker School in Newtown, County Waterford. He was influenced by his uncle Samuel Wright 1780-1847 who was a noted geologist. Between 1859 and 1860 he was an assistant to the professor of geology in Trinity College. Wright had a significant collection of carboniferous fossils which he presented to the British Museum. In 1866 he was elected a member of the Geological Society of London. Two years later he moved to Belfast where he concentrated his geological studies on foraminifera becoming an acknowledged authority on the subject. He was a member of the Cork Cuvierian Society, the Belfast Naturalists Field Club, the Paleontographical Society and an honorary member of various other societies. Lloyd Praeger his close friend described him as “that cheerful Cork Quaker who loved to discard his old-fashioned microscope and show and discuss his latest finds”. His unique collection of forams (very simple micro-organisms) and a collection of his scientific papers are housed in the National Museum, Dublin.

[Cat 160]