BALFOUR, John Hutton. The Plants of the Bible. Trees and Shrubs. iv, [2], 2, 54pp., half-title., 12 colour lithographed plates depicting 24 trees & shrubs, and several wood-engraved text illustrations. A very good copy in original blind and gilt stamped dark brown cloth, all-edges-gilt. 4to. T. Nelson and Sons. 1857. ~ John Hutton Balfour (1808-1884), was the eldest son of Andrew Balfour, an army surgeon who became a printer and publisher in Edinburgh. In 1836, Balfour and eleven other men ‘attached to the pursuit of botany’ established a society aimed at advancing botanical science. The Botanical Society of Edinburgh promoted several objectives: to facilitate the exchange of botanical knowledge through meetings and the publication of transactions; to organise and co-ordinate the exchange of plant specimens; to form a herbarium and library, to publish a Catalogue of Plants, and, to conduct botanical excursions. For the rest of his life, Balfour was intimately involved in the running of the society. But Balfour’s involvement in botany was far wider than his involvement with The Botanical Society. In 1840 he lectured in botany at the extra-mural medical school in Surgeon’s Square, Edinburgh, the first step in his botanical career. Underpinning Balfour’s entire philosophical outlook was a passionate commitment to the Christian faith. As a devout Episcopalian Balfour believed that an intelligent creator made nature and for Balfour that intelligent creator was God.