The head of the spine is damaged by two vertical tears along side and part of the paste on title is missing as is the half title page, whcig has been neatly cut out. Green leather, with gilt edges and raised bands, gilt framing and decorations, marbled end papers.The front board has a decorative gilt stamp from Argyll College Notting Hill London "PRIZE Palmam qui meruit ferat" It remains a lovely copy despite its faults, internally clean and in excellent binding. The coloured illustrations at the end of the book are a joy and the black and white sketches of scientific instruments fascinating. No publishing date, c1860 or later, but certainly 19th century.