Bacon Francis.ABAA
The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon:
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
