LANKESTER, Phebe Pope. A Plain and Easy Account of the British Ferns; together with their classification, arrangement of genera, structure, and functions; and, a glossary of technical and other terms. With illustrations. xv, [1], 108, [4]pp adverts., frontispiece and 8 hand-coloured plates. A fine copy in original blind and gilt stamped dark green cloth, all-edges-gilt. small 8vo. Robert Hardwicke. c1860. ~ All editions are undated, but the preliminary advertisement in this copy notes that the first was published in 1854, with a second in 1855, this is the third edition. The most intriguing advert also appears for “The Fern Collector’s Album: a descriptive folio for the reception of natural specimens... an elegant present for the country and seaside.” Copies have survived (BL, Oxford, Cambridge, NLS), but I have never seen one offered for sale. Phebe Pope married Edwin Lankester in 1845. She was nineteen at the time of their marriage, became a botanist and microscopist, published books for children, and wrote natural history articles. Thomas Henry Huxley was a close friend of the family, also John Stevens Henslow, Darwin’s tutor. Lankester, President of the Ray Society, was a close personal friend of Darwin's and was so deeply impressed by him that he was determined that one of his sons should become a great biologist, He named all three of his sons suitably: Forbes, Ray and Owen!