President of the Royal College of Physicians from 1844 until his death, John Ayrton Paris (1785–1856) wrote chiefly on medical topics, yet he also devoted time to the study of science and natural history. He served as physician to the Penzance Dispensary between 1813 and 1817, during which time he helped to establish what became the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. First published anonymously in 1816, and reissued here in the second edition of 1824, this work explores the landscapes and natural history of the western part of Cornwall. Presented as a series of 'excursions', the guide takes in locations such as St Michael's Mount and the Lizard, also covering the rich mining districts at Redruth and St Just, and discussing local customs, the Cornish language and the health-giving climate. Several of Paris's medical and biographical works are also reissued in this series, including his life of the Cornish chemist Sir Humphry Davy.
