3 volumes in 5. [26], 178, *175-*178, 179-281, [1]; xii, 238; [6], 239-444; xii, 252; [6], 253-437, [12] pp. 172 full page engraved plates and 364 smaller engravings in text, mostly by Thomas Holloway and William Blake after Henry Fuseli. (Folio) 34.5x28 cm (13¾11") early full calf, triple gilt-ruled border surrounding an in border of decorative blindstamping, spines gilt, double raised bands, gilt dentelles, all edges marbled.
A psuedo-scientific treatise on the human face and its expressions. Includes numerous portraits of well-known men of the arts, science, politics, etc., including Goethe, Samuel Johnson, John Locke, George Washington, Voltaire, Heidegger, Christopher Wren, Diderot, Isaac Newton, Rousseau, Johann Sebastian Bach, and many others. Three of the vignettes are identified in the engraving as the work of William Blake (Vol. 1, pages 127, 206, & 225) and the full page portrait of Democritus (Vol. 1, facing page 159) is engraved by Blake after Rubens.