A look beyond the texts: The samples in the eighteenth-century Corpus of English Life Sciences Texts

Abstract

[Abstract] This chapter deals with the eighteenth-century texts we have included in the Corpus of English Life Sciences Texts, CELiST, one of the corpora included in the Coruña Corpus of English Scientific Writing. The chapter describes important facts that affected the publication of those works. Data such as the complete title of the work, chapters and pages included, the publication of plates in the edition, number of editions (which reveal the popularity of particular works) are provided. Besides, this paper also discusses the changes made by the compilers of the Corpus in the layout of the samples to be shown in the Coruña Corpus Tool and editorial marks included. Whether works were published by subscription, or the personal dream of an individual publisher are aspects also considered. Cases of works published at the author’s risk, i. e. “printed for the author”, are also a common option, at least in the 18th century, if authors wanted to see their works in print.