(Born:      ; Died:      ) English mineralogist.

Lowry was the daughter of the famous artist, Wilson Lowry [1762-1824]. After his death, she married the painter John Varley [1778-1842]. She was apparently of short stature and it is said that when Varley's apprentices grew bored, they would toss Mrs Varley back and forth amongst them. A painting on ivory of Delvalle by her father is apparently held in the collections of the British Museum.

Biographical references: Allibone, Dictionary of English Literature, 1859-71. • BBA: I 1233, 141. • Schenkenberg, Die lebenden Mineralogen, 1842: 61 [no detail]. • WBI.

Conversations

1. English, 1822 [First edition].
Conversations | on | Mineralogy. | [rule] | With Plates, | Engraved By Mr. And Miss Lowry, | From Original Drawings. | [rule] | In Two Volumes. | Vol. I. [-II.] | [tapered rule] | London: | Printed For | Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, And Brown, | Paternoster-Row; And | Sold By J. Mawe, 149, Strand. | 1822.

2 vols. [Vol 1] 12°: xv, 259 p., frontispiece (hand-colored), 5 plates (numbered 1-5); [Vol 2] 12°: iv, 282 p., 5 plates (numbered (6-10).

Plates: The engraved frontispiece shows 12 mineral specimens each hand-colored. The 10 engraved plates show instruments, apparatus and a goniometer and various crystal drawings, some of which are based upon Haüy's dissected crystals.

Very scarce. The operative word in the title is "Conversations." The entire work is a series of discussions between Miss L. (Lowry) and two young ladies that explores various aspects of mineralogy and crystallography, including the descriptions of species. This was one of the popular style mineralogical works published in nineteenth century England. It was reprinted several times indicating an intererst in the work by the public at large.

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239.

Conversations on Mineralogy, 1822

2. English, 1822 [American issue].
Conversations | on | Mineralogy. | [rule] | By Delvalle Lowry. | [rule] | With Plates, | from the engravings of Mr. and Miss Lowry, from original | drawings. | First American from the Last London Edition. | [ornate rule] | Philadelphia: | Published and Sold by Uriah Hunt, | No. 239, Market Street. | [rule] | Sept. 1822.

12°: [A]-Z⁶ 2A-2D⁶ 2E⁴; 166l.; [i]-xi, [1] blank, [13]-332 p., folding colored frontispiece, 11 plates on 6 leaves (5 folding). Page size: 177 x 103 mm.

Contents: [Facing title page, folding colored frontispiece].; [i-ii], Title page, verso "Recommendation."-dated September 22, 1822.; [iii]-viii, "Preface."; [ix]-xi, "Contents."; [1 page], Blank.; [13]-301, Text.; [302], Blank.; 303-311, "Appendix, No. I."-glossary of mineral names.; [312]-323, "Appendix, No. II. Tabular View of the Arrangement Adopted in this Work."; [324], Blank.; [325]-332, "Index."; [At end], 11 plates on 6 leaves (5 folding).

Scarce. American issue after the original 1822 London edition.

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239.

3. English, 1826 [2nd edition].
Conversations on Mineralogy. With plates, engraved by Mr. and Miss Lowry, from original drawings. In two volumes. Second edition. London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, 1826.

2 vols. [Vol 1] 12°: a⁶ b² B-M¹² N³; ??l.; [I]-xv, [1]-270 p., frontispiece (hand-colored), 5 plates (numbered 1-5; folding; showing apparatus and crystal diagrams); [Vol 2] 12°: π² B-N¹² O⁵; ??l.; [4], [1]-297, [1] p., 5 plates (numbered 6-10). Page size: 174 x 100 mm.

Contents: [Vol 1] [I-ii], Title page, verso "Printed By Richard Taylor."; [iii]-xi, "Preface."-signed Delvalle Lowry.; [xii], "Directions to the Binder."; [xiii]-xv, "Contents | Of | The First Volume."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-270, Text.

[Vol 2] [2 pgs], Title page, verso "Printed By Richard Taylor, Shoe-Lane."; [2 pgs], "Contents | Of | The Second Volume."; [1]-288, Text.; [289]-297, "Index."; [1 pg], "Printed By Richard Taylor, | Show-Lane, London."

Scarce. All the plates were engraved from designs made by Miss Lowry by W. & Mrs. Lowry.

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239.

4. English, 1837 [3rd edition].
Conversations | On | Mineralogy. | With Plates, | Engraved By Mr. And Miss Lowry, | From Original Drawings. | [rule] | In Two Volumes. | Vol. I. [-II.] | [rule] | Third Edition, Enlarged. | London: | Printed For | Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, & Longman, | Paternoster-Row. | 1837.

2 vols. [Vol 1] 8°: A⁶ B-N¹² O³; 153l.; [i]-xi, [1], [1]-293, [1] p., frontispiece (hand-colored).; [Vol 2] 8°: π¹ B-P¹² Q⁵; 174l.; [2], [1]-345, [1] p., 11 folding plates (apparatus, goniometer, crystal drawings). Page size: 180 x 102 mm. Scarce.

Contents: [Vol 1] [i-ii], Title page, verso "London: | Printed by A. Spottiswoode, | New-Square-Street."; [iii]-xi, "Preface," signed D. Varley.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-293, Text.; [1 pg], "London: | Printed by A. Spottiswoode, | New-Square-Street."

[Vol 2] [i-ii], Title page, verso blank.; [1]-308, Text.; [309]-321, "Appendix. | [rule] | No. I. | Derivation Of The Names Of Several | Mineral Substances."; [322]-334, "No. II. | Tabular View | Of The | Arrangement Adopted In This Work."; 335-345, "Index."; [1 page], "London: | Printed by A. Spottiswoode, | New-Square-Street."

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239.

Rudimentary Treatise

5. English, 1849 [First edition].
Rudimentary Treatise | on | Mineralogy; | for | the Use of Beginners. | By | D. Varley, | Author of `Conversations on Mineralogy,' etc. | Parts I. & II. Together, Complete. | With Illustrations. | London: | John Weale, | Architectural Library, 59, High Holborn. | [rule] | M.DCCC.XLIX.

12°: [4], [1]-164, [i]-vi, [1]-24 publisher's list p., 2 plates (one colored). Page size: 180 x 106 mm.

Contents: [Facing title page, colored frontispiece].; [2 pgs], Title page, verso "London: J.S. Hodson, Printer ..."; [1 pg], "Advertisement."; [1 pg], Blank.; [Plate showing 24 crystal drawings].; [1]-34, "General Discussion of Mineralogy."; 35-164, Description of species.; [i]-vi, "Index."; [1]-24, "New List of Works ..."

Plates: There are two plates, one hand-colored the other plain. The colored plate shows five mineral specimens: Fluor spar (Fluorite), Beryl, Kynaite, Australian Malachite, and Californian Gold. The plain plate, labelled "No. 2," shows 24 crystal drawings.

Scarce. "The Author has endeavoured, in the following pages, to furnish to the Student and Amateur in Natural Science, some information about the greater part of the mineral substances that are met with, either on the surface of the earth, in rocks or in mines. There are still many others in Nature, besides those here described, but a great part of them are rare; several have never been analysed; other only partially examined, and their proper situation hardly established; and the most of them unimportant, especially to one little acquainted with the subject."

"In accordance with the natural systems which prevail in other branches of Natural History, the classification adopted is chemical, and is nearly that of Beudant; a system which recommends itself by its simplicity."-{\sl{Advertisement}}.

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239.

6. English, 1852 [2nd edition].
Rudimentary Treatise on Mineralogy, for the Use of Beginners. London, 1852.

12°: ??.Scarce.

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239.

7. English, 1856 [3rd edition].
Rudimentary Treatise on Mineralogy. Third edition. To which is added a Treatise on Rocks or Mineral Aggregates by James Dana ... London, 1856.

8°: 191 p., colored frontispiece, illus., plates (one folding).

Scarce. Contains an added section by James Dwight Dana.

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239 [ND 0024170].

8. English, 1859 [4th edition].
Rudimentary Treatise | on | Mineralogy. | Fourth Edition: | To Which Is Added, | A Treatise on Rocks or Mineral Aggregates, | By James Dana, A.M., | Of The United States. | Two Parts, Complete In One Volume. |With Illustrations. | London, | John Weale, 59, High Holborn. | 1859.

12°: π² B-I¹² K¹⁰; ??l.; [4], [1]-191, [1], [1]-12 p., hand-colored folding frontispiece showing mineral specimens, signed J.W. Lowry.

Contents: [Hand-colored frontispiece facing title page].; [2 pgs], Title page, verso "London: | Bradbury And Evans, Printers, Whete Fiars."; [1 pg], "Advertisements."-signed J.W., 1 November 1855.; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-183, Text.; [184], Blank.; [185]-191, "Index."; [1 pg], "London: | Bradbury And Evans, Printers, Whete Fiars."; [1]-12, Publisher's list.

Scarce. Contains an added section by James Dwight Dana.

Bibliographical references: NUC: 630, 239 [ND 0024171].

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