461 résultats
16183463London: Bonham Norton and John Bill 1618. Rare first edition first issue of the defense of James Is execution of Sir Walter Raleigh written by Francis Bacon and with according to Bacon very material additions by the king himself. The work describes the circumstances surrounding Raleighs final voyage to America in 1618 with the purpose of locating a fabled gold mine and includes the text of Raleighs commission. In the event his expedition ended up seizing the island of St. Thomas and killing its Spanish governor an ostensible act of war against Englands ally. Back in England Raleigh who had already been sentenced to death in 1603 on another conviction was tried by a commission headed by Bacon and executed in October 1618. The English public was appalled: To sacrifice to a concealed enemy of England the life of the only man in the nation who had a high reputation for valor and military experience was regarded as meanness and indiscretion and the intimate connections which the king was now entering into with Spain being universally distasteful rendered this proof of his complaisance still more invidious and unpopular David Hume History of England. The present volume is the governments hasty attempt to justify the execution. Bacon as a member of the council that had sentenced Raleigh appears to have been the main author. In a letter to a friend he mentioned the work and the kings input: We have put the Declaration touching Raleigh to press with his Majestys additions which were very material and fit to proceed from his Majesty cf. Pforzheimer 819. The work is known in at least two issues a first issue of 63 pages and a second of 68. STC and Pforzheimer originally took the present to be the second issue but the STC has since revised its opinion based on the research by Starkey published in his Library article of 1948. STC 2nd ed. 20652.5; Gibson Francis Bacon 369c; Starkey The printing of a declaration of the demeanor and carriage of Sir Walter Raleigh 1618 The Library 5th series 3 1948 124-34. 4to. 16.6 x 11.4 cm 4 63 1 pp. including initial blank signed A in a woodcut tailpiece. Bound in later paneled calf title stamped on spine lower portion of spine damaged slightly worn at extremities. INTERNAL CONDITION Generally very good. Bonham Norton and John Bill books
16246319Paris: Pierre Mettayer 1624. Second Printing. Second printing after the London edition the previous year and the first European printing of Bacon's "De augmentis scientiarum." Effectively a greatly expanded version in Latin of his "Advancement of Learning" 1605 this is the book that in its Paris printing spread the word of the scientific method across Europe influencing Descartes and the philosophers of the Enlightenment Locke Leibniz Huygens and Voltaire. . Quarto 22 cm; 16 540 pages. Woodcut initials and ornaments. Roman and italic type. Woodcut printer's device on the title-page. In contemporary full brown plain leather boards spine with five raised bands panels decorated in gilt with title stamped in gilt directly on spine "Verulami de Augm. Sc.". Ownership inscriptions on title page dated 1724. Text unmarred. References: Gibson "Bacon" 130. Pierre Mettayer hardcover books
19752446London: Thames and Hudson 1975. First edition. Original stiff paper covers. Very Good. FIRST EDITION OF BACON'S MOST REVEALING BOOK AN ASSOCIATION COPY INSCRIBED BY BACON ON HALF-TITLE: "For Erica Spender / with all my best wishes / Francis Bacon". Interviews with Francis Bacon is the most important source we have for understanding Bacon's art and philosophy. Through Bacon's responses to the influential art critic and Bacon scholar David Sylvester's provocative questions we gain invaluable insight into the one of the greatest artistic minds of the twentieth century.<br /> <br /> An important association copy:<br /> <br /> This copy was given by Bacon to Erica Erika Haarman Spender. Erica Spender was the widow of Michael Spender 1906-1945 and sister-in-law of the poet Stephen Spender. Stephen Spender was a prominent figure in Francis Bacon's circle and Erica Spender was first introduced to Francis Bacon by him.<br /> <br /> Erica Spender later joined Marlborough Fine Art in London to run its the Antiquarian Book Department. At that time Francis Bacon was represented by Marlborough Fine Art and it was during this period that Erica Spender became Bacon's friend sharing a commonality of cultural artistic and philosophical interests. Bacon was represented by Marlborough Fine Art from 1958 until his death in 1992. The relationship was greatly beneficial to Bacon as Marlborough worked closely with the artist to successfully enhance his international reputation.<br /> <br /> Complete with 94 black-and-white illustrations. London: Thames and Hudson 1975. Quarto 8x11 in; 20.5x27.5 cm original pictorial stiff covers. A few tiny creases to cover a hint of toning to rear panel as often; generally a fine copy. RARE SIGNED. Thames and Hudson unknown books
1613319858London: John Beale for John Jaggard 1613. Beale piracy with "Aturney" on title-page. Title within border of printer's ornaments head- and tailpieces woodcut initials "Of the Colours" section title. 232 pp. Collation: A2-O8 P3 lacking blanks A1 and P4. Small 8vo. Contemporary vellum manuscript title on spine. Title and terminal leaf soiled and worn with some small chips at edges small void in the title touching the ornamental border two small voids in terminal leaf costing a couple letters. Beale piracy with "Aturney" on title-page. Title within border of printer's ornaments head- and tailpieces woodcut initials "Of the Colours" section title. 232 pp. Collation: A2-O8 P3 lacking blanks A1 and P4. Small 8vo. Beale Pirated Edition of Bacon's Essayes. There were three editions of Bacon's Essayes dated 1613 with a Jaggard imprint. The first printed by Jaggard after the 1612 Beale edition of the Essayes has the spelling "Atturny" for "Attorney" on the title-page. The other two printings which spell "Attorney" as "Aturney" as here and "Atturney" are in fact counterfeit editions printed by the same John Beale whose 1612 edition stood as the model for Jaggard's 1613 edition. There is some debate about Jaggard's right to print the Essayes as he never registered the work with the Stationers' Company see Pforzheimer 29 for the arguments.<br/><br/>The Essayes of statesman and philosopher Francis Bacon 1561-1626 treat moral and political topics in "a terse aphoristic style . which Bacon conceived as a genre setting down discrete observations on life and aspiring to some kind of objective validity" ODNB. "In an age of complicated and superficial verbiage Bacon turns the licence of imaginative and allusive expression into an instrument of accurate and chastened thought" Cambridge History of English and American Literature. The Essayes were originally circulated in manuscript among Bacon's friends - the threat of a pirated edition by Richard Seeger lead to Bacon entrusting the work to Humfrey Hooper for publication in 1597. ESTC S100361; Gibson 9; Pforzheimer 29 [John Beale] for John Jaggard unknown books
05025Oxford: Printed by Leon: Lichfield. for Rob: Young & Ed. Forrest 1640. First Complete English Edition of Bacon's "De Augmentis Scientiarum" <br/><br/>BACON Sir Francis. Of the Advancement and Proficience of Learning or the Partitions of Sciences IX Bookes Written in Latin by the Most Eminent Illustrious & Famous Lord Francis Bacon.Interpreted by Gilbert Wats. Oxford: Printed by Leon: Lichfield Printer to the University for Rob: Young & Ed. Forrest 1640. <br/><br/>First edition second issue with the colophon dated 1640 and with the penultimate line of the dedication on ¶2 verso without the quotation "his spacious spirit not thus bounded." the recto of C3 reading at foot "Fama Baconi" and with "Marginal Corrections" on the recto of Qqq2 occupying eight lines re-set in larger type but without any addition to text. <br/><br/>Folio 11 3/16 x 7 inches; 284 x 178 mm. 34 60 14 352 351-477 1 blank 20 pp. Engraved frontispiece portrait and engraved title by William Marshall. Engraved vignette head-piece and numerous woodcut head- and tail-pieces and initials. <br/><br/>Contemporary sprinkled calf covers ruled in blind. Spine with five raised bands ruled in blind decoratively gilt in compartments light brown morocco label lettered in gilt gilt ruled board edges all edges stained red. Front joint with 3 1/2 split at top but still quite sound. Some occasional spotting light browning and faint dampstaining in several outer margins. Armorial bookplate maybe of Edward Bligh Lord Clifton on front pastedown. Early ink signature "R. Wingate" on verso of engraved portrait. Old booksellers' printed description on rear pastedown Frank Hammond 1952 £15. A quite spectacular and totally untouched example of this great work.<br/><br/>"Bacon conceived a massive plan for the reorganization of scientific method and gave purposeful thought to the relation of science to public and social life. His pronouncement ‘I have taken all knowledge to by my province' is the motto of his work.His ambitious proposal was: ‘a total reconstruction of sciences arts and all human knowledge.to extend the power and dominion of the human race.over the universe'. The plan for this was to be set out in six parts" Printing and the Mind of Man 119 describing the 1620 Instauratio Magna or Novum Organum. <br/><br/>Of the Advancement and Proficience of Learning is the first complete English edition of the first part of Bacon's plan "a complete survey of human knowledge and learning which was expounded in the De Augmentis Scientiarum 1623 a greatly extended version of The Advancement of Learning 1605" Printing and the Mind of Man. <br/><br/>Francis Bacon 1561-1626 1st Viscount St Alban Kt PC QC also known as Lord Verulam was an English philosopher statesman scientist orator and writer who is considered one of the fathers of modern science. The scientific classification bacon sets forth in this work changed the way we look at the world serving as a basis for Denis Diderot's renowned eighteenth-century encyclopedia of the sciences arts and crafts. His written works continue to be extremely influential especially regarding the philosophy and practice of the scientific method. Of the translator Gilbert Watts Wood says that he had so smooth a pen in Latin or English that no man of his time exceeded him" D.N.B.<br/><br/>Gilbert Watts d. 1657 "translated Bacon's ‘De Augmentis Scientiarum' and his rendering called ‘Of the Advancement and Proficience of Learning of the Partitions of Sciences'. was of highly praised on its appearance" D.N.B. <br/><br/>Perhaps belonging to Edward Bligh Lord Clifton. Born in 1795 he attended Eton College and Christ Church Oxford and served as MP for Canterbury from 1818 until 1830. He was styled as Lord Clifton until 1831 when he succeeded his father as 5th Earl of Darnley. He was Lord Lieutenant of Co. Meath from 1831 until his death in 1835. The Darnley family seat of Cobham Hall in Kent was sold in 1955.<br/><br/>Gibson 141b; Honeyman 185 first issue; Madan I p. 217; STC 1167.3. Oxford: Printed by Leon: Lichfield... for Rob: Young, & Ed. Forrest, 1640 unknown books
16056318London: Henrie Tomes 1605. First edition. The only work Bacon ever published in English the "Advancement of Learning" was his first statement of the scientific method as a philosophical position and of his massive plan to survey all human knowledge paving the way for the great encyclopedias of the Enlightenment. The book was published into a world that considered "learning" a matter of memorization of Aristotelian texts. "The Advancement of Learning" changed that arguing that the only knowledge of importance was that which could be discovered by observation that is 'empirical' knowledge rooted in the natural world. . Small quarto 19cm; 1 45 118 i.e. 121 leaves without the final blank and added leaves of errata at end that are present in some copies "not often found" according to Gibson. Numerous errors in foliation. In recent tan calf tooled in blind in period style by Pat M. Bruno bookbinder's ticket. Pages evenly toned with light scattered foxing especially on first and last leaves. Marginal paper repairs in last two gatherings. Pages trimmed close affecting shoulder notes. Provenance: British antiquary Francis Kilvert 1793-1863 his signature mounted along with letter of presentation from Kilvert to his contemporary antiquary James Heywood Markland bound in "Knowing your taste for literary curiosities I venture to beg your acceptance of what I believe to be the editio princeps of Lord Bacon's Advancement of Learning." References: STC 2nd ed.; 1164; Gibson "Francis Bacon a bibliography" 81; Pforzheimer; 36p Norman 97. Henrie Tomes unknown books
1612304166London: William Jaggard for John Jaggard 1612. Second Jaggard edition second issue with G78 canceled with addition of signatures H-O. Woodcut headpiece and printer's ornaments on title and "Of the Colours" section title woodcut initials. 220 pp. Collation: A-F8 G8 -G78 H-O8. Small 8vo. Nineteenth century full blue morocco covers gilt with dentelle border smooth spine lettered in gilt a.e.g. Light wear to extremities small waterstains to covers. Second Jaggard edition second issue with G78 canceled with addition of signatures H-O. Woodcut headpiece and printer's ornaments on title and "Of the Colours" section title woodcut initials. 220 pp. Collation: A-F8 G8 -G78 H-O8. Small 8vo. Huth-Pirie Copy of the 1612 Jaggard Printing of Bacon's Essayes. The second Jaggard edition of the Essayes of statesman and philosopher Francis Bacon 1561-1626. Jaggard used his 1606 edition of the Essayes which contained the original 10 essays of the first edition as a model for this 1612 printing. When a new edition by Beale expanded from 10 to 38 essays appeared in 1612 Jaggard canceled the final two leaves G78 and expanded the work to include the full compliment of essays.<br/>Jaggard made no entry of this or his 1606 and 1613 editions of the Essayes in the Stationers' Register and so it has been customary to regard his editions as piracies. Jackson gently disputes this notion in the note to Pforzheimer 29 suggesting that a later transfer of rights to Jaggard's widow in 1624 as well as the silence of Hopper and Beale who did register their rights with the Stationers' Company argues for Jaggard having some right to the Essayes. "In some manner therefore Jaggard must have himself secured 'rights' which the Stationers' Company regarded as transferable even though not previously entered in the Register" Pforzheimer. In any case a rare edition: we trace only this copy at auction.<br/>The Essayes which went into numerous editions in the author's lifetime and eventually expanded from the 10 essays printed in the first edition to 58 in the 1625 edition treat moral and political topics in "a terse aphoristic style . which Bacon conceived as a genre setting down discrete observations on life and aspiring to some kind of objective validity" ODNB. "In an age of complicated and superficial verbiage Bacon turns the licence of imaginative and allusive expression into an instrument of accurate and chastened thought" Cambridge History of English and American Literature. The Essayes were originally circulated in manuscript among Bacon's friends - the threat of a pirated edition by Richard Seeger lead to Bacon entrusting the work to Humfrey Hooper for publication in 1597.<br/>A fine copy with exceptional provenance. ESTC S100353; Gibson 7; cf. Pforzheimer 28 & 29. Provenance: Henry Huth black morocco booklabel Sotheby's Wilkinson & Hodge 15 November 1911 lot 389; Robert S Pirie his bookplate purchased Seven Gables 1962 [William Jaggard] for John Jaggard unknown books
16051998London: Printed for Henrie Tomes 1605. First edition. Fine. An exceptional Fine copy with a distinguished provenance. Quarto pgs. 183 x 140 mm: Title 1-45; 1-118; with the typical erratic page numberings. With the final blank; without the 2 leaves of errata found in a very few copies and probably of later issue. Owing to misimposition text in Dd is printed on the wrong versos two leaves in Dd slightly shorter. Contemporary limp vellum modern spine lettering; modern half brown morocco slipcase. Provenance: Ellesmere Library at Bridgewater House armorial bookplate; bulk of the library acquired en bloc in 1917 by: -- Henry E. Huntington Huntington Library duplicate stamp at end.<br/><br/>A precursor to Bacon's masterwork the Instauratio Magna this book focuses primarily on the classification of philosophy and the sciences. Implicit in the work is the use of the Baconian method that later becomes the Scientific method as more fully developed in the Instauratio. Because it was first published in English and later translated into Latin it is considered one of the earliest philosophical works in English. A foundational work of Western thought. Fine. Printed for Henrie Tomes unknown books
162043494London: apud Joannem Billium 1620. <p>Bacon Francis 1561-1620. Instauratio magna. Novum organum sive indicia vera de interpretatione naturae. Small folio. 12 including blank leaf conjugate with engraved title 172 181-360 36 2pp. Beautiful engraved title-page by Simon de Passe 1595-1647; early inscriptions partially erased from top margin and center of engraving. London: John Bill 1620. 292 x 192 mm. Vellum ca. 1620 leather spine labels a bit soiled. Remnants of blue paper on front and back pastedowns first leaves a bit soiled but a fine copy. Leather booklabel of Frederick Spiegelberg.</p> <p> First Edition second issue. Only a handful of copies of the first issue exist. The philosophical exposition of the experimental method in science which greatly influenced the creation and development of the first scientific academies—the "Invisible College" the Royal Society and the Académie Royale des Sciences with inestimable effect on the development of scientific thought.</p> <p> At a time when scholars still relied on classical authority and metaphysical speculation to learn about the world they lived in Bacon conceived a new means of acquiring true knowledge of the world via observation experiment and inductive reasoning the type of logical thinking that ascends from specific facts to the establishment of general laws and principles. Bacon saw this novum organum or "new instrument" as the means of bringing about a "great revolution" instauratio magna in thought. Once taught the new experimental method everyone would be capable of engaging in scientific investigation unlocking the secrets of nature and applying the results ideally for the betterment of humankind. Bacon's vision of science inspired the subsequent foundation of the first scientific academies and also opened up the question of science's relationship with government and society.</p> <p> Bacon originally envisioned the Instauratio magna in six parts of which only two were completed: De augmentis scientiarum 1623 and Novum organum which along with the introduction to the third part Parasceve ad historiam naturalem et experimentalem and two sets of Aphorisms makes up the present work. The second issue has the errata leaf and colophon reading "Londini/Apud Joannem Billium/Typographum Regium/M.DX.XX." STC 1163. Horblit 8b. Dibner 80. Printing and the Mind of Man 119. Gibson Bacon 1950 103b. Eiseley "Francis Bacon" Makers of Modern Thought 1972. Norman 98. </p> . apud Joannem Billium unknown books
16202116London: John Bill 1620. First edition. contemporary calf. Very Good. FIRST EDITION OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS IN THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE: FRANCIS BACON'S ARGUMENT FOR AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD. A BEAUTIFUL COPY. "The writings of Lord Bacon and especially the "Novum Organum" possess a fourfold interest: They have a direct bearing upon the history of philosophy literature logic and physical science; and whatever estimate we may form of their influence upon each of these branches of knowledge we think that few will fail to admit that Bacon threw a bridge over that vast and deep gulf which separates the ancient from the modern modes of thought and directly opened a way to our present philosophy and science" G.F. Rodwell Bacon's Novum Organum. Bacon "insisted on experiment in determining truth in nature and the above book is a proposed method for the assessment of all knowledge. The accumulation of observation and fact must be the basis of a new philosophy and not the authority of Aristotle or anyone else. Bacon's inspiration led directly to the formation of the Royal Society. The famous engraved title-page showing a ship boldly sailing beyond the Pillars of Hercules the limits of the old world is interpreted to represent the bold spirit of adventure and research of the new age of science" Dibner 80. 

 "Bacon conceived a massive plan for the reorganization of scientific method an gave purposeful thought to the relation of science to public and social life. His pronouncement 'I have taken all knowledge to be my province' is the motto of his work. The frontispiece to his magnum opus shows a ship in full sail passing through the Pillars of Hercules from the old to the new world. It symbolizes the vision of its author whose ambitious proposal was: 'a total reconstruction of sciences arts and all human knowledge. to extend the power and dominion of the human race. over the universe'" Printing and the Mind of Man 119. 

Second issue as usual with "Billium" only omitting Bill Norton in colophon and added errata. Complete with the famous engraved title by Simon van de Passe. London: John Bill 1620. Folio 292x190 mm contemporary full calf rebacked with original spine laid-down; custom box. Some soiling to binding and repairs to corners. Title page with early signature and notation in top margin a few scattered rust spots tiny tear to corner of B2. Overall text extremely clean and crisp with wide margins. AN OUTSTANDING COPY OF ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL WORKS IN THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE. John Bill unknown books
123031London: Printed by John Haviland for Hanna Barret and Richard Whitaker 1625. Sm. 4to 7 1/16 x 5 9/16 ins.12 340 pp. First leaf is blank. A a B-2V 2X . Original vellum overlapping foredges signs where the thongs were removed; backstrip lettered in ink. Crown watermark. Title page with signature of Thomas Rode dated 1656. A remarkably good copy in unsophisticated original condition some inevitable soiling to the vellum and hinges opening but not splitting. Enclosed in a blue quarter morocco slipcase. § One of the most important books in the English language of enduring influence on Western philosophy and ethics "the distillation of a lifetime’s wisdom by the wisest man of his day" Winterich 23 Books 208. First complete edition and the last printed in the author's lifetime first issue with the imprint reading "Printed by John Haviland for Hanna Barret and Richard Whitaker" and with "Newly enlarged" on the title-page. The second issue Gibson 14 has imprint reading "John Haviland for Hanna Barret" and has "Newly written" on t-p. Some cataloguers call this 1st Collected or 1st Complete edition. STC indicates that this is a new work different from The Essaies. STC 2nd ed. 1147. Quaritch cat. 436 1930 #102 noted: "In his dedication Bacon says 'I doe now publish my Essayes; which of all my other workes have been most Currant: For that as it seems they come home to Mens Businesse and Bosomes. I have enlarged them both in Number and in Weight; so that they are indeed a New Worke.'" Britwell Handlist p. 52. Grolier Club English 100 p. 26. PMM 119. Printed by John Haviland for Hanna Barret hardcover books
