Re-issue of the rare Latin translation first published in Utrecht, by Meinardus van Dreunen in 1684, of Swammerdam's famous work on the metamorphosis of insects. The original Dutch edition was published in 1669 also by Van Dreunen.
Jan Swammerdam (1637-1680) studied medicine at Leiden University and developed an interest in biological research, especially in physiology and entomology. Since Aristotle, the theory on insects was based on three suppositions, insects lack internal anatomy, they originate by spontaneous generation and they develop by metamorphosis. The idea of metamorphosis was that a sudden and total change from one kind of creature into another, comparable to the alchemical transmutation of a base metal into gold. Swammerdam's thesis was fundamentally new and significant. He believed all three suppositions to be false and devoted a wide variety of investigations to refute these ideas. In the Historia insectorum generalis, Swammerdam dealt with the issue of metamorphosis, as is indicated by the title, "General account of the bloodless animals, in which will be clearly set forward the true basis of their slow growth of limbs, the vulgar error of the transformation, also called metamorphosis, will be effectually washed away, and comprehended concisely in four distinct orders of changes, or natural budding forth of limbs" (DSB XIII, p.171). The Ephemeri vita ... (Amsterdam, 1675) and the Historia insectorum generalis are the only entomological works by Swammerdam that were published during his life.
With a large printed book plate mounted on the front pastedown, an interesting early auction inscription on the verso of the otherwise blank original flyleaf: "James Macknight's Langerak's auctien 11 st. Leyden April 21 [nst?] 1747", possibly referring to Scottish minister and theological author James MacKnight (1721-1800), and some annotations in pencil in the text. The binding shows signs of wear and the spine has been re-backed, a small tear along the top of the gutter of the original flyleaf, the first few pages heavily browned and foxed, some occasional slight dampstains and foxing, but with the plates still very clear. Otherwise in good condition. BMC NH, p. 2055; Hagen II, p. 209; Horn & Schenkling 21795; Nissen, ZBI 4053; STCN 238102033 (7 copies, incl. 2 incomplete); for the author: DSB XIII, pp. 168-175.