1771 book

New here! I hope i’m doing this right. My mom knows how much I love old stuff, so she gave me a book she had been given by a book dealer, Plants of North America, by John Reinhold Forster, printed in London in 1771. it has a new binding but the pages are all original. There are some handwritten notes that seem to be from the era but I’m not sure, maybe someone on here can decipher it? I can’t read it at all. the end of the first note I think says 2 May of ‘71. Either way it’s pretty cool.

 

The script in the second image reads "Banks Esq." The cross in front indicates that it is a footnote to "a friend" above. Likely refers to Joseph Banks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Banks

Debora

 

Thank you so much that’s very helpful!

 

Well, now I know why you can't read the inscription across the top of the title page. It's in Welsh!

Debora

 

Rhodd yr wdur... Gift of the author...

Debora

 

Oh wow! I would have NEVER figured that out. Thank you so much!

 

Morys is a Welsh surname. Can't read what's in between.

Debora

 

Google Translate is your friend. If you're interesting in "old stuff," you'll want to add it to your list of resources.

Debora

 

Reported.

Debora

 

Went digging and I think it is referring to a Rhisiart Morys/Richard Morris.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Morris_(editor)

 

I think you're right. He was a bookseller and, evidenced by this 1768 advertisement in British Zoology, he dealt in scientific tomes.

Debora