26 496 résultats
1846ST19286London: Printed by Catchpool & Trent for Simpkin Marshall & Co 1846. FIRST EDITION. 320 x 255 mm. 12 1/2 x 10". xiii 3 96 pp. <br/> Publisher's original blind-decorated dun-colored cloth gilt titling to upper cover smooth spine newer endpapers. WITH 11 COLOR ENGRAVINGS after Frost by W. P. Chubb & Son printed in oil colors by George Baxter all with original tissue guards. Front free endpaper with small ink signature of John Hill. See: Francis Reid "Isaac Frost's 'Two Systems of Astronomy' 1846: Plebeian Resistance and Scriptural Astronomy" in "The British Journal for the History of Science" Vol. 38 No. 2 Jun. 2005 pp. 161-177. Cloth rather spotted corners bumped but the binding solid with no wear to joints or hinges. A few spots of foxing to title page half of the tissue guards with overall very faint foxing/browning the illustrations with minor foxing at edges and in margins but the images themselves clean and bright and all in all a really excellent copy the text wide-margined and quite clean and fresh and the plates with rich coloring.<br/> <br/> Illustrated with beautiful color plates this anti-Newtonian work promotes a view of the universe based on the backward-looking beliefs professed by a Protestant sect known as the Muggletonians. Named after co-founder Lodowicke Muggleton the Muggletonians emerged in London in 1651 based on the claims of two tailors who professed to be the "Last Witnesses" described in the Book of Revelation. Rejecting the new directions in philosophical reason Muggletonians believed in a purely scriptural interpretation of the universe. According to E. P. Thompson's 1994 "Witness Against the Beast" the Muggletonians had curious notions quite contrary to other Protestant denominations: they believed that the soul is mortal that Jesus and God are one and the same that Heaven was left without divine supervision from Jesus' death until the day of judgment that Heaven resides six miles above the Earth that God stands between five and six feet tall and other unconventional things. Although the sect initially avoided both worship and evangelizing during the 19th century some followers became more outspoken about their beliefs and even published books appealing to the general public. Our author Isaac Frost 1793-1858 was a prominent Muggletonian and successful owner of a brass foundry who along with his brother Joseph invested large sums to promote their belief system--the present work being an especially notable example. Divided into two main sections the text first describes the Newtonian system of heliocentric astronomy and then turns to Frost's scriptural interpretation and geocentric views. As Reid tells us "According to Frost Scripture clearly states that the Sun the Moon and the Stars are embedded in a firmament made of congealed water and revolve around the Earth that Heaven has a physical reality above and beyond the stars and that the planets and the Moon do not reflect the Sun's rays but are themselves independent sources of light. Our book was apparently written as a reaction against the lecturers who expressed Newtonian astronomy--which was often for them and their audiences simply shorthand for heliocentrism." The 11 plates that illustrate these extraordinary ideas are the work of George Baxter a pioneering printer who revolutionized color printing techniques by combining metal engravings with woodblock printing using oil-based inks to produce high-quality affordable prints. The plates here are appropriately ethereal and otherworldly utilizing a beautiful palette with subtle gradations and esoteric figures to create memorable pseudo-scientific imagery. Although this work appears at auction with some regularity it is almost always incomplete no doubt because the attractiveness of its plates encourages harvesting. Useful price comparisons include a complete copy said to be in fine condition selling for £7500 in 2016 and six loose prints from the book fetching £6875 in 2015. [Printed by Catchpool & Trent for] Simpkin, Marshall, & Co unknown
1950169250New York: Gnome Press Inc. 1950. A robot may not injure a human being or through inaction allow a human being to come to harm First edition of the author's landmark collection of science fiction short stories which includes "Runaround" in which Asimov sets out for the first time his Three Laws of Robotics. "Historically Asimov is undeniably important to the establishment of both the scientific and fictional realms of artificial intelligence. In May 1941 the word 'robotics' was first used in print by Asimov in his short story 'Liar!' published by Astounding Science Fiction OED. Upon realizing he had coined a new and lasting word Asimov recognized the uniquely profitable position he had created for himself and along with the successful prediction of space travel self-driving cars and war-computers among others would go on to position himself as a sort of friendly-but-rough-around-the-edges technological herald someone entertaining trustworthy and often right" Jung. Octavo. Original red cloth spine lettered in black robot design to front cover in black. With dust jacket. Housed in a custom red cloth folding box by the Chelsea Bindery. Ink ownership signature of one Ruth Rayson dated 1950 to front free endpaper and her blind stamp to title page. Spine ends lightly bumped; dust jacket price-clipped minimally rubbed slight sunning to spine as usual the fugitive red still bright just a few small creases to spine ends and one small chip: a near-fine copy in very good jacket. Gia Jung "Our AI Overlord: The Cultural Persistence of Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics in Understanding Artificial Intelligence" Emergence 5 June 2018. hardcover
1700151722ca. 1700-1708. Autograph manuscript fragment on the Newton family lineage. England undated. A single leaf bearing autograph text in the hand of Sir Isaac Newton on both sides. 2.25 x 0.75 inches approx. 5.7 x 1.9 cm. Transcription recto: "Of the older family I am . whom I take to be my . of William Newton baptized 1541 whom ." Transcription verso: "for had by a . was next heir at law . infants and to that purpose . of her daughter with his ." A working genealogical note in Newton's hand evidently drawn from a longer document in which he traces a line of descent through one William Newton baptized 1541. The verso references questions of heirship and minor children suggesting the fragment formed part of Newton's private inquiry into the legal and lineal standing of the Newton family. Newton's documented genealogy situates him within the rural gentry of early modern England. He was born at Woolsthorpe Manor Lincolnshire to Isaac Newton a yeoman farmer who died before his son's birth and Hannah Ayscough daughter of a local clergyman. The paternal line can be traced to his grandfather Robert Newton also of Woolsthorpe indicating a family of modest landholding status. The maternal Ayscough line connected Newton to the educated clerical class a milieu that may have shaped his early intellectual formation. The present fragment though brief offers direct testimony of Newton's own engagement with the question of his ancestry and joins the small body of surviving manuscript material in which he records personal and familial concerns rather than scientific or theological matters. Condition: In good condition; minor wear consistent with age. The fragment has been archivally encapsulated by PSA/DNA together with a portrait of Newton and the corresponding authentication with the verso of the autograph remaining visible for examination. Authentication: PSA/DNA. Sir Isaac Newton 1642–1727 widely regarded as one of the most influential scientists in history established the foundational principles of classical mechanics in his Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica wherein he articulated the three laws of motion and formulated the law of universal gravitation including the inverse-square relationship governing gravitational force. In addition to these achievements Newton independently developed the mathematical framework of calculus providing essential tools for the advancement of physics and mathematics. His extensive investigations into light and optics grounded in original experimentation significantly advanced contemporary understanding of the nature of light and color. Rejecting the long-standing authority of Aristotelian philosophy Newton instead championed an empirical experiment-based approach to scientific inquiry thereby helping to define the methodological foundations of modern science. unknown
1950140949001New York: Gnome Press 1950. First Edition. Near Fine/Near Fine. First edition first printing. 253 pp. Bound in publisher's red cloth stamped in black. Near Fine with light wear at spine ends slight lean to binding and light foxing to text block edges. In a Near Fine unclipped dust jacket with modest fading to spine panel light wear stray mark to front panel at right edge. Price crossed out with pen at front flap slight foxing to blindside. A superlative copy uncommon in such excellent shape. Asmiov's sci-fi classic that explores the ethics of artificial intelligence. Gnome Press unknown
195439015Garden City NY: Doubleday & Company Inc 1954. First edition of the first work in Asimov's acclaimed Robot series. Octavo original blue boards red topstain. Signed by Isaac Asimov on the title page. Light wear to the cloth near fine in a very good dust jacket with some rubbing and wear to the extremities. Dust jacket design by Ruth Ray. Housed in a custom half morocco clamshell box. Rare and desirable signed. One of the classic presentations of the womb-city metropolis as mother which has haunted imaginations ever since. The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun are the best books Isaac Asimov ever wrote" The Guardian. In 2004 The Caves of Steel was nominated for a retroactive Hugo Award for Best Novel for 1954. A television adaptation was made by the BBC and shown in 1964: only a few short excerpts still exist. In 1989 the book was adapted by Bert Coules as a radio play for the BBC with Ed Bishop as Elijah Baley and Sam Dastor as R. Daneel Olivaw. Doubleday & Company, Inc hardcover
1957140942444Garden City New York: Doubleday & Company 1957. First edition. Near Fine/Near Fine. First edition first printing. Signed by Isaac Asimov and inscribed to a former owner on the title page. Bound in publisher's original yellow cloth with spine stamped in red. Near Fine with light lean to binding light toning to pages else very sharp and bright. In a Near Fine unclipped dust jacket with light edge wear light soiling and light fading to spine. Scarce. Doubleday & Company unknown
1845140942075Philadelphia: Printed by C. Sherman 1845. First American Edition. Near Fine. The first edition of the first English translation of any part the Hebrew Bible in America. Also referred to as the Pentatuech or the Five Books of Moses presented here in five volumes each containing one of the Books of Moses: Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy. Text in English and Hebrew. Bound in a simple yet elegant mid-19th century pebbled maroon cloth ruled in blind with titles lettered in gilt on the spines. Near Fine light rubbing to bindings pages toned. Slight lean to binding of Volume III. An important milestone of Judaism in the America. Leeser's Pentateuch remained the standard English version for American Jews until 1917 when the Jewish Publication Society translation appeared. Printed by C. Sherman unknown
188034197Cincinnati: Published for the Rev. Abraham DeSola by The Bloch Publishing and Printing Company 1880. Third edition. Hardcover. vg. Large quarto. vii 1011 4pp. Custom period full brown pebbled leather biding with blind-stamped ruling and tooling. Gilt lettering including the owner's name on the front cover as well as on the spine. Raised bands. Dentelles. All edges of book block in red and gilt. Lustrous white silk textured endpapers. <br /> <br /> This incredibly rare and completely unrecorded third edition of the groundbreaking Leeser Bible was produced after Bloch had taken over the publishing rights sometime circa 1880. For this edition like the preceding Miller's Bible and Publishing House printing of 1878 5638 the publisher reverted to the large quarto size format and pagination of the original 1854 first edition. Additionally the preface includes the original text and September 20th 1853 date of first edition. The explanatory notes of the original edition at the bottom of each page removed in the smaller format starting with the 1857 second edition are here present again as well. Retained from those subsequent smaller format editions however is the "general remarks" section which follows the preface text. Added likely for the first time is a new table of contents directly preceding the main biblical text. Includes the traditional four blank leaves for the recording of marriages births and deaths at rear. <br /> <br /> When it was originally published in 1854 the Leeser Bible marked a major milestone in scripture translation as it is the first complete English translation of the Hebrew Bible Tanakh by a Jew. Indeed in the early 19th century most American Jews couldn't read the Bible in Hebrew and an adequate complete English translation didn't exist. Isaac Leeser's "The Twenty-Four Books of the Holy Scriptures" attempted to fill this need. Leeser spent 17 years on this landmark translation relying almost exclusively on Jewish scholarship. Soon after its publication this work became the standard for American Jews not conversant in Hebrew as well as an important contribution to Jewish American culture.<br /> <br /> This edition was issued for pioneering Canadian Rabbi Abraham De Sola 1825-1882 who was among the most prominent proponents of Orthodox Judaism in North America during the 19th century and close associate of Isaac Leeser. As the last pre-Bloch printing of the work produced for De Sola was known to have been issued in 1878 5638 our undated third edition has to have been published sometime between 1878 and De Sola's death in 1882.<br /> <br /> This unique copy of the Leeser Bible was beautifully custom bound for the owner Mathilda Friendly with 23 full-page illustrated plates which includes a half-title and frontispiece. The plates include many of the the same images which were incorporated into the Old Testament sections of similarly-illustrated Victorian-era family Bibles of the later half of the 19th century. They include finely rendered steel-plate engravings and reproductions after wood-engraved images from a number of acclaimed artists. The result is that this book ends up becoming a interesting and unique "Jewish version" of an Illustrated Family Bible of the same sort prevalent in that era.<br /> <br /> Like those Family Bibles the illustrated plates here include at least 10 reproductions after images by acclaimed French artist Gustave Dore 1832-1883 from his famous series of wood engravings originally created for the "La Grande Bible de Tours" 1866. These images include "The Deluge" "The Egyptians Drowned in the Red Sea" "Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still" "David and Goliath" "Elijah Taken Up To Heaven in a Chariot of Fire" and "Esther Before the King" among others.<br /> <br /> Also present are beautifully rendered steel plate engravings. These include a gorgeous engraving of "Moses with the Ten Commandments" frontispiece by Edward Schuler 1806-1882 after the original painting by Philippe de Champaigne "Moses in the Bullrushes" half-title at the front after a lost painting by Paul Delaroche "Hagar and Ishmael" James Charles Armytage after Joseph Clark a gorgeous engraved image after the James Sant painting "The Infant Samuel" "Speak Lord for thy Servant Heareth" and "Happy Days of Job" by after a the painting by William Charles Thomas Dobson 1817-1898. Other images include work by British illustrator David Henry Friston 1820-1906 and Edouard Willmann 1820-1877 as well as engraved landscapes of Hebron Tabor and Petra. Many of the plates are protected with tissue guards.<br /> <br /> In comparing our copy with another found copy of this same scarce edition ours is extra-illustrated. It includes the steel-plate engravings not present in the other copy except for the Moses frontispiece found in both. Additionally it also contains many more of the reproduced wood-engraved plates.<br /> <br /> Binding professionally restored and re-backed retaining the original spine. Minor rubbing to extremities. Endpapers with some light stains and smudging particularly along the edges with light chipping to the edge of the rear endpaper. Interior with very sporadic minor to light foxing and stains to some of the text pages throughout. Images are mostly still very vibrant and mostly clean. Binding and interior in very good condition overall. Hebrew title: תורה × ×‘×™××™× ×•×›×ª×•×‘×™× <br /> <br /> This third edition is completely unrecorded anywhere. It is not in Singerman with no OCLC records.<br /> <br /> Bibliographic resources: Hills Margaret ed. The English Bible in America. 1962. p. 244.<br /> <br /> We are aware of copies of both the 1878 Miller printing and the scarce 1891 official fourth edition of the work with illustrated plates bound in. Published for the Rev. Abraham DeSola by The Bloch Publishing and Printing Company hardcover
366471Philadelphia: Published at 371 Walnut Street stereotyped by L. Johnson & Co. 5614. First edition. Text in two columns. iv 1011 1 blankpp. plus 4pp. family register in the rear accomplished in manuscript. 4to. Contemporary morocco gilt rebacked with the original spine laid down yellow endpapers gilt edges. Restoration at fore-edge margin of first few leaves without loss of text. Provenance: Benjamin F. Peixotto signature on front endpaper family register recording marriages and births of Peixotto and his descendants. First edition. Text in two columns. iv 1011 1 blankpp. plus 4pp. family register in the rear accomplished in manuscript. 4to. "Leeser's literary magnum opus and most lasting contribution to Judaism in America was an English translation of the Hebrew Bible 1853-54 complete with 'short explanatory notes' . Leeser's Bible as it has come to be known quickly became 'the standard bible for English speaking Jews especially in America.'" Sussman. <br /> <br /> Leeser's first biblical translation was his The Law of God published in five small-format volumes in 1845 with vocalized Hebrew text of each of the Five Books of Moses together with an English translation and notes as well as the haftarot. His larger-format Bible of 1853-54 comprised a new English translation of the full "Tanakh" revising his earlier translation of the Pentateuch and translating the remaining parts between April 1852 and September 1853. The first edition would be published shortly thereafter with a second edition in 1859 and subsequent quarto editions thereafter.<br /> <br /> This copy with esteemed early American Jewish provenance to Benjamin Franklin Peixotto 1834-1890 and his descendants. Peixotto was the grandson of Benjamin Mendes Seixas 1747-1817 one of the founders of the New York Stock Exchange the brother of hazzan Gershom Seixas and among the notable early members of Congregation Shearith Israel. Peixotte married Hannah Straus aka Strauss of Louisville Kentucky in 1858. He worked as a journalist in Cleveland Ohio and there founded the Hebrew Benevolent Society and a chapter of B'nai B'rith. In 1866 he moved with his family to New York working as a lawyer then in 1870 he became American consul first to Romania then in 1877 to Lyon France. The register records the marriages of his children and the births of his children and grandchildren through 1892. Singerman 1271; Goldman 12. J. D. Sarna and N. M. Sarna "Jewish Bible Scholarship and Translations in the United States" in The Bible and Bibles in America E. S. Freriches ed. 1998; Lance J. Sussman "Another Look at Isaac Leeser and the First Jewish Translation of the Bible in the United States" in Modern Judaism Vol. 5 No. 2 May 1985 pp. 159-190 Published at 371 Walnut Street [stereotyped by L. Johnson & Co.] unknown
17066373London: Samuel Smith and Benjamin Walford 1706. First edition. <p>First Latin edition of the Opticks the extremely rare first issue with Ss1 in its original state. "Newton's Opticks did for light what his Principia had done for gravitation namely placed it on a scientific basis" Babson. This Latin edition is important for the seven new Queries it contains. In one of these Newton wrote that space is the 'Sensorium of God'. He later changed his mind cancelling the relevant leaf Ss1 in almost all copies although a copy in its uncancelled state found its way to Leibniz who ridiculed Newton's rash statement.</p>. <p>THE VERY RARE FIRST ISSUE WITH THE 'MISSING TANQUAM'</p> . <p>First Latin edition of the Opticks the extremely rare first issue with Ss1 in its original state cancelled in almost all copies. Of Newton's three greatest contributions to science - his theory of gravity his theories of light and colour and the invention of calculus - the first was published for the first time in the Principia 1687 and the other two in the Opticks 1704 "one of the supreme productions of the human mind" Andrade. "Newton's Opticks did for light what his Principia had done for gravitation namely placed it on a scientific basis" Babson p. 66."One of the supreme productions of the human mind" Andrade "All previous philosophers and mathematicians had been sure that white light is pure and simple regarding colors as modifications or qualifications of the white. Newton showed that the opposite is true . Natural white light far from being simple is a compound of many pure elementary colors which can be separated and recombined at will" PMM. The Optice contains translations not only of the Opticks itself but also of the two appended mathematical tracts Tractatus de quadratura curvarum and Enumeratio linearum tertii ordinis. The former is Newton's first publication of his method of fluxions or calculus which he developed in terms of 'prime and ultimate ratios' an early version of the theory of limits; it includes the first published statement of the general binomial theorem and of 'Taylor's theorem' on series expansions. The real importance of this Latin edition is the seven new 'Queries' it contains: "The Queries contain some of Newton's most influential and speculative writing" Gjertsen p. 519. The purpose of the original 16 queries in the Opticks was principally to compensate for the many years' delay between the writing of Opticks and its publication during which many discoveries had been made by Newton and others. Each of the new Queries with one exception is longer than the original 16 taken together. "In the new Queries Newton expressed fundamental views on the nature of light on the nature of bodies on the relation of God to the physical universe and on the presence in nature of a whole range of forces which furnish the activity necessary for the operation of the world and for its permanence. At the last moment he dared even a bit more and inserted three further speculative passages in the Addenda to the volume. The new Queries were the most informative of the speculations that Newton ever published." Westfall p. 644. "This edition is known in two states. In query 20 Newton had written of space: 'Annon spatium universuum sensorium est entis incorporei viventis et intelligentis' Is not infinite space the sensorium of a Being incorporeal living and intelligent. It must have struck Newton that to call space 'the sensorium of God' without any qualification was too bold a claim. Consequently he chose to substitute for page 315 a cancel in which he spoke of infinite space 'spatio infinito' as 'tanquam sensorio suo' which is as it were his sensorium. He failed however to modify the whole edition and copies with the missing tanquam been found in the Babson collection the Bodleian library and Cambridge University Library. But worse from Newton's point of view an uncancelled copy found its way to Leibniz who lost no time in accusing Newton of claiming that space is an organ of God" Gjertsen p. 413. Some of the other added Queries contain remarkably prescient speculations. Query 23 "was an extended version of the speculations on forces that Newton had once planned to insert in the Principia. Heavily indeed overwhelmingly chemical in content it was arguably the most advanced product of seventeenth-century chemistry" Westfall p. 644. "In a remarkable paragraph in Query 22 pp. 320-321 which did not survive into subsequent English editions he compared the force of attraction in proportion to size in particles of light and gross bodies by comparing velocities and radii of curvature of rays of light and projectiles. He concluded that the force of attraction in particles of light is more powerful by a factor of 1015 that is the short-range forces are immensely more powerful than gravity" ibid. p. 646.</p> <br /> <p>"Newton wrote most of the Opticks between 1687 and early 1692. He wrote Book I Parts I and II expounding his new theory of light and colour in 1687. He then appears to have set aside the Opticks for about three years but by the late summer or autumn of 1691 he had considered it - at least for a few months - to be complete. It is most likely that he carried out new research and wrote the remainder of the Opticks - that is Books II and III - in the winter or spring of 1692 or perhaps six months earlier. At some time between late August 1691 and late February 1692 Newton decided to revise the draft significantly. After this effort he brought it close to its published form except for the brief last book on diffraction which Newton called 'inflexion' and the queries which were not prepared for publication until shortly before publication in 1704.</p> <br /> <p>"The composition of Book II in 1690 or 1691 at first went very quickly. Newton made so few changes in the text that he was able to mark up the manuscript of the 'Discourse of Observations' from 1675 for his amanuensis to copy for the Opticks. This formed Parts I and II and much of Part III . After revising the 'Observations' Newton was confronted with a decision on how to end his book. At first he planned to follow this material with a new fourth book or part on diffraction but he was also toying with the idea of a speculative 'Fourth Book'. Newton soon reined in his more speculative tendencies and turned to more empirical optical investigations. He continued experiments on diffraction and also discovered an entirely new phenomenon: coloured rings produced in transparent thick plates. By the autumn of 1691 Newton had completed and written up his investigations of thick plates as Book IV Part I which together with his research on diffraction Book IV Part II was to form the concluding book of the Opticks.</p> <br /> <p>"Between late August 1691 and late February 1692 Newton removed the two parts of the new Book IV from the manuscript and set about revising them. The part on diffraction was troublesome and remained incomplete until shortly before publication. Within six months however he revised the part on the colours of thick plates incorporated it into Book III because of their affinity to those of thin films and essentially put it into its published state. During this revision Newton also introduced his theory of fits - an immaterial vibration to explain the physical cause of periodicity in light that replaced his earlier aetherial and corpuscular vibrations" Shapiro pp. 187-188. </p> <br /> <p>On 15 November 1702 according to a memorandum by the Scottish mathematician and Oxford Professor of Astronomy David Gregory Newton "promised Mr Roberts Mr Fatio Capt. Hally & me to publish his Quadratures his treatise of Light & his treatise of the Curves of the 2d Genre" i.e. cubic curves. The book appeared by 16 February 1704 when Newton presented a copy to the Royal Society" ibid. p. 196.</p> <br /> <p>In the published work "Newton presented his main discoveries and theories concerning light and color in logical order beginning with eight definitions and eight axioms . Eight propositions follow the first stating that 'Lights which differ in Colour differ also in Degrees of Refrangibility.' In appended experiments Newton discussed the appearance of a paper colored half red and half blue when viewed through a prism and showed that a given lens produces red and blue images respectively at different distances. The second proposition incorporates a variety of prism experiments as proof that 'The Light of the Sun consists of Rays differently refrangible.'</p> <br /> <p>"The figure given with experiment 10 of this series illustrates 'two Prisms tied together in the form of a Parallelopiped'. Under specified conditions sunlight entering a darkened room through a small hole F in the shutter would not be refracted by the parallelopiped and would emerge parallel to the incident beam from which it would pass by refraction through a third prism which would by refraction 'cast the usual Colours of the Prism upon the opposite Wall.' Turning the parallelopiped about its axis Newton found that the rays producing the several colors were successively 'taken out of the transmitted Light' by 'total Reflexion'; first 'the Rays which in the third Prism had suffered the greatest Refraction and painted the wall with violet and blew were . taken out of the transmitted Light the rest remaining' then the rays producing green yellow orange and red were 'taken out' as the parallelopiped was rotated yet further. Newton thus experimentally confirmed the 'experimentum crucis' showing that the light emerging from the two prisms 'is compounded of Rays differently Refrangible seeing that the more Refrangible Rays may be taken out while the less Refrangible remain' . In proposition 6 Newton showed that contrary to the opinions of previous writers the sine law of refraction actually holds for each single color. The first part of book I ends with Newton's remarks on the impossibility of improving telescopes by the use of color corrected lenses and his discussion of his consequent invention of the reflecting telescope.</p> <br /> <p>"In the second part of book I Newton dealt with colors produced by reflection and refraction or transmission and with the appearance of colored objects in relation to the color of the light illuminating them. He discussed colored pigments and their mixture and geometrically constructed a color wheel drawing an analogy between the primary colors in a compound color and the "seven Musical Tones or Intervals of the eight Sounds Sol la fa sol la mi fa sol."</p> <br /> <p>"Proposition 9 'Prob. IV. By the discovered Properties of Light to explain the Colours of the Rain-bow' is devoted to the theory of the rainbow. Descartes had developed a geometrical theory but had used a single index of refraction in his computation of the path of light through each raindrop. Newton's discovery of the difference in refrangibility of the different colors composing white light and their separation or dispersion as a consequence of refraction on the other hand permitted him to compute the radii of the bows for the separate colors. He used 108:81 as the index of refraction for red and 109:81 for violet and further took into consideration that the light of the sun does not proceed from a single point. He determined the widths of the primary and secondary bows to be 2°15' and 3°40' respectively and gave a formula for computing the radii of bows of any order n and hence for orders of the rainbow greater than 2 for any given index of refraction .</p> <br /> <p>"Book II which constitutes approximately one third of the Opticks is devoted largely to what would later be called interference effects growing out of the topics Newton first published in his 1675 letter to the Royal Society. Newton's discoveries in this regard would seem to have had their origin in the first experiment that he describes Book II Part 1 Observation 1; he had he reported compressed 'two Prisms hard together that their sides which by chance were a very little convex might somewhere touch one another' as in the figure provided for Experiment 10 of Book I Part 1. He found 'the place in which they touched' to be 'absolutely transparent' as if there had been one 'continued piece of Glass' even though there was total reflection from the rest of the surface; but 'it appeared like a black or dark spot by reason that little or no sensible light was reflected from thence as from other places' . Rotating the two prisms around their common axis Observation 2 produced 'many slender Arcs of Colours' which the prisms being rotated further 'were compleated into Circles or Rings.' In Observation 4 Newton wrote that 'To observe more nicely the order of the Colours . I took two Object-glasses the one a Plano-convex for a fourteen Foot Telescope and the other a large double Convex for one of about fifty Foot; and upon this laying the other with its plane side downwards I pressed them slowly together to make the Colours successively emerge in the middle of the Circles and then slowly lifted the upper Glass from the lower to make them successively vanish again in the same place.' It was thus evident that there was a direct correlation between particular colors of rings and the thickness of the layer of the entrapped air . Furthermore as he noted in Observation 13 'the Circles which the red Light made' were 'manifestly bigger than those which were made by the blue and violet' . He concluded that the rings visible in white light represented a superimposition of the rings of the several colors and that the alternation of light and dark rings for each color must indicate a succession of regions of reflection and transmission of light produced by the thin layer of air between the two glasses . </p> <br /> <p>"Book II Part 2 of the Opticks has a nomogram in which Newton summarized his measures and computations and demonstrated the agreement of his analysis of the ring phenomenon with his earlier conclusions drawn from his prism experiments - 'that whiteness is a dissimilar mixture of all Colours and that Light is a mixture of Rays endued with all those Colours.' The experiments of Book II further confirmed Newton's earlier findings 'that every Ray have its proper and constant degree of Refrangibility connate with it according to which its refraction is ever justly and regularly perform'd' from which he argued that 'it follows that the colorifick Dispositions of Rays are also connate with them and immutable.' The colors of the physical universe are thus derived 'only from the various Mixtures or Separations of Rays by virtue of their different Refrangibility or Reflexibility'; the study of color thus becomes 'a Speculation as truly mathematical as any other part of Opticks.' </p> <br /> <p>"In Part 3 of Book II Newton analyzed 'the permanent Colours of natural Bodies and the Analogy between them and the Colours of thin transparent Plates.' He concluded that the smallest possible subdivisions of matter must be transparent and their dimensions optically determinable. A table accompanying Proposition 10 gives the refractive powers of a variety of substances 'in respect of . Densities.' Proposition 12 contains Newton's conception of 'fits': 'Every Ray of Light in its passage through any refracting Surface is put into a certain transient Constitution or State which in the progress of the Ray returns at equal Intervals and disposes the Ray at every return to be easily transmitted through the next refracting Surface and between the returns to be easily reflected by it.' The succeeding definition is more specific: 'The returns of the disposition of any Ray to be reflected I will call its Fits of easy Reflection and those of its disposition to be transmitted its Fits of easy Transmission and the space it passes between every return and the next return the Interval of its Fits.' The 'fits' of easy reflection and of easy refraction could thus be described as a numerical sequence; if reflection occurs at distances 0 2 4 6 8 . from some central point then refraction or transmission must occur at distances 1 3 5 7 9 . Newton did not attempt to explain this periodicity stating that 'I do not here enquire' into the question of 'what kind of action or disposition this is' . Newton thus integrated the periodicity of light into his theoretical work . His work was moreover based upon extraordinarily accurate measurements - so much so that when Thomas Young 1773-1829 devised an explanation of Newton's rings based on the revived wave theory of light and the new principle of interference he used Newton's own data to compute the wavelengths and wave numbers of the principal colors in the visible spectrum and attained results that are in close agreement with those generally accepted today.</p> <br /> <p>"In Part 4 of Book II Newton addressed himself to 'the Reflexions and Colours of thick transparent polish'd Plates.' This book ends with an analysis of halos around the sun and moon and the computation of their size based on the assumption that they are produced by clouds of water or by hail. This led him to the series of eleven observations that begin the third and final book 'concerning the Inflexions of the Rays of Light and the Colours made thereby' in which Newton took up the class of optical phenomena previously studied by Grimaldi in which 'fringes' are produced at the edges of the shadows of objects illuminated by light 'let into a dark Room through a very small hole.' Newton discussed such fringes surrounding the projected shadows of a hair the edge of a knife and a narrow slit" DSB.</p> <br /> <p>"Since Newton published the Opticks without a complete investigation into diffraction which he had hoped would support a corpuscular theory of light in which light corpuscles were acted on by short-range forces of matter" Shapiro p. 196 "Newton concluded the first edition of the Opticks with a set of sixteen queries introduced 'in order to a further search to be made by others.' He had at one time hoped he might carry the investigations further but was 'interrupted' and wrote that he could not 'now think of taking these things into farther Consideration.' In the eighteenth century and after these queries were considered the most important feature of the Opticks . The original sixteen queries at once go beyond mere experiments on diffraction phenomena. In Query 1 Newton suggested that bodies act on light at a distance to bend the rays; and in Queries 2 and 3 he attempted to link differences in refrangibility with differences in 'flexibility' and the bending that may produce color fringes. In Query 4 he inquired into a single principle that by 'acting variously in various Circumstances' may produce reflection refraction and inflection suggesting that the bending in reflection and refraction begins before the rays 'arrive at the Bodies.' Query 5 concerns the mutual interaction of bodies and light the heat of bodies being said to consist of having 'their parts put into a vibrating motion'; while in Query 6 Newton proposed a reason why black bodies 'conceive heat more easily from Light than those of other Colours.' He then discussed the action between light and 'sulphureous' bodies the causes of heat in friction percussion putrefaction and so forth and defined fire in Query 9 and flame in Query 10 discussing various chemical operations. In Query 11 he extended his speculations on heat and vapors to sun and stars. The last four queries 12 to 16 of the original set deal with vision associated with 'Vibrations' excited by 'the Rays of Light' which cause sight by 'being propagated along the solid Fibres of the optick Nerves into the Brain.' In Query 13 specific wavelengths are associated with each of several colors. In Query 15 Newton discussed binocular vision along with other aspects of seeing while in Query 16 he took up the phenomenon of persistence of vision" DSB.</p> <br /> <p>Newton appended to the Opticks two mathematical tracts of which the first Tractatus de quadratura curvarum is Newton's first published account of the calculus of fluxions. In Newton's time finding the 'quadrature' of a curve meant finding the area enclosed or subtended by it which for us is a problem of integral calculus and for Newton one of the 'inverse method of fluxions'. Newton wrote three extended treatises on fluxions. The first of these 'De analysi per aequationes numero terminorum infinitas' was composed in 1669 and treats Newton's general methods of infinite series. It was not published until 1711 when William Jones included it along with a number of other tracts in his Analysis per quantitatum series. In 'De analysi' however Newton "did not explicitly make use of the fluxionary notation or idea. Instead he used the infinitely small both geometrically and analytically in a manner similar to that found in Barrow and Fermat and extended its applicability by the use of the binomial theorem" Boyer The Concept of Calculus p. 191. It was in the second of Newton's calculus treatises 'De methodus fluxionum' composed in 1671 but not published until 1736 that he first "introduced his characteristic notation and conceptions. Here he regarded his variable quantities as generated by the continuous motion of points lines and planes rather than as aggregates of infinitesimal elements the view which had appeared in 'De analysi'. . In the 'Methodus fluxionum' Newton stated clearly the fundamental problem of the calculus: the relation of quantities being given to find the relation of the fluxions of these; and conversely" ibid. pp. 192-3 i.e. the processes that we call differentiation and integration.</p> <br /> <p>De quadratura was the first of Newton's treatises on fluxions to be published but the last to be composed so that it represents his most mature view of the subject. It was prompted by a letter from David Gregory on 7 November 1691 sending Newton "my method of squaring figures published three years ago but now clarified by examples. If only I might be allowed to know your method too which as I have subsequently gathered differs little from mine." "De quadratura contained the first published statement of the binomial theorem discovered by Newton some forty years before. The text of De quadratura in its published form is in two parts. In the first part Newton in the manner of De analysi demonstrated how infinite series could be deployed to determine the quadrature and rectification of curves. In the second part he returned to the topic of fluxions discussed at greater length in his then unpublished De methodis eventually published as The method of fluxions and infinite series in 1736" Gjertsen p. 579. But perhaps "Newton's most important achievement in his 'De quadratura' was the first explicit enunciation of the Taylor expansion of a general function - Newton deduced the particular 'Maclaurin' form in his Corollary 3 by successive differentiation it would seem and then passed to the general theorem in his Corollary 4" Papers VII pp. 18-19. The expansion was rediscovered by Brook Taylor in 1715.</p> <br /> <p>The second appended mathematical treatise Enumeratio linearum tertii ordinis was composed in summer 1695 although it was based on researches carried out intermittently over the previous three decades. "In some ways the Enumeratio is the most original of Newton's mathematical works. It had no predecessors met with no rivals claiming to have anticipated the results or few even who acknowledged its results" Gjertsen p. 187. Since the inception of analytic geometry - most notably with Descartes's Géométrie 1637 which Newton carefully studied in its Latin translation 1659-61 - European mathematicians became interested in the algebraic representation of plane curves. As Descartes showed and John Wallis further developed conic sections can be represented by second-degree polynomial equations in two variables in Cartesian coordinates as we would say nowadays and they can be divided into circle parabola ellipse and hyperbola. The question naturally arises of how to move a step further and study the graphs of third-degree polynomials. In the Enumeratio Newton gave a classification of cubic curves analogous to the classification of conic sections. He identified 72 species of cubic curves mostly classified in terms of the properties of their diameters and asymptotes. There are in fact 78 species: four were added by James Stirling in his Lineae tertii ordinis Newtonianae 1717 and the remaining two by François Nicole and Nicolas I Bernoulli in the 1730s. Newton uses oblique Cartesian axes something Descartes did not do and has no qualms in using negative coordinates a novelty at the time. Newton also demonstrates deep geometrical insights stating a general theorem according to which all cubic curves can be obtained by centrally projecting the five 'divergent parabolas' very much as all conics can be obtained by projecting the circle; this was proved by Nicole and Alexis-Claude Clairaut in 1731. In the final section of the work Newton shows how the real roots of polynomial equations of degree up to 9 can be found from the points of intersection of cubic curves with lines conics or other cubic curves. Newton gave almost no proofs of his claims but Stirling revealed the methods Newton had used: algebra and infinite series. Newton's published treatise is "a marvellous epitome of results whose subtleties were only just becoming to be understood by mathematicians in the last decade of Newton's life half a century after their initial discovery" Papers VII p. 588 n1.</p> <br /> <p>Gjertsen p. 520 summarizes the content of the seven new Queries added to the Optice as follows:</p> <br /> <br /> 17-18: Double refraction<br /> 19: The 'Phenomena of Light' are not to be explained by 'new Modifications of the Rays'<br /> 20: Objections to wave theory of light and to a dense fluid medium; rejection of hypotheses in natural philosophy; limits of mechanism and a list of fundamental questions; space is the Sensorium of God<br /> 21: Rays of light are 'very small Bodies emitted from Shining substances' a view which allows many of the properties of light to be explained<br /> 22: Bodies and light are interconvertible<br /> 23: Small particles of bodies capable of acting at a distance as can be seen in a number of chemical and physical processes; evidence for the view that 'All Bodies seem to be composed of hard Particles'; Hauksbee's experiments; motion and its need of certain active principles; matter also made in the beginning by God from 'solid massy hard impenetrable moveable Particles' in need of 'certain active Principles'; examples of the divine providence in the universe.<br /> <br /> <p>In Query 20 "the refutation of wave theories of light led Newton into an argument against the possibility of a dense Cartesian ether filling the heavens and thence into an explication of his ultimate objection against conventional mechanical philosophies their tendency to make nature self-sufficient and thus to dispense with God. Some ancient philosophers he argued took atoms the void and the gravity of atoms as the first principles of their philosophy and attributed gravity to some other cause than matter.</p> <br /> <p>'Latter Philosophers banish the Consideration of such a Cause out of natural Philosophy feigning Hypotheses for explaining all things mechanically and referring other Causes to Metaphysicks: Whereas the main Business of natural Philosophy is to argue from Phenomena without feigning Hypotheses and to deduce Causes from Effects till we come to the very first Cause which certainly is not mechanical; and not only to unfold the Mechanism of the World but chiefly to resolve these and such like Questions. What is there in places empty of Matter and whence is it that the Sun and Planets gravitate towards one another without dense Matter between them Whence is it that Nature doth nothing in vain; and whence arises all that Order and Beauty which we see in the World . . . How do the Motions of the Body follow from the Will and whence is the Instinct in Animals Is not infinite Space the Sensorium of a Being Annon Spatium Universum Sensorium est Entis incorporeal living and intelligent who sees the things themselves intimately and thoroughly perceives them and comprehends them wholly by their immediate presence to himself .'</p> <br /> <p>"David Gregory who held an extensive discussion of the new Queries with Newton on 21 December 1705 recorded the interpretation of this passage in a memorandum.</p> <br /> <p>'His Doubt was whether he should put the last Quaere thus. What the space that is empty of body is filled with. The plain truth is that he believes God to be omnipresent in the literal sense; And that as we are sensible of Objects when their Images are brought home within the brain so God must be sensible of every thing being intimately present with every thing: for he supposes that as God is present in space where there is no body he is present in space where a body is also present. But if this way of proposing this his notion be too bold he thinks of doing it thus. What Cause did the Ancients assign of Gravity. He believes that they reckoned God the Cause of it nothing els that is no body being the cause; since every body is heavy.'</p> <br /> <p>"At the last moment after the last moment really Newton decided that he had indeed been too bold. He tried to recall the whole edition; and from all the copies he could lay his hands on he cut out the relevant page and pasted in a new one which asserted not that infinite space is the sensorium of God but that 'there is a Being incorporeal living intelligent omnipresent who in infinite Space as it were in his Sensory tanquam Sensorio suo sees the things themselves intimately .' Alas he failed to alter every copy and one of the originals made its way to Leibniz who did not fail to hold up to ridicule the concept of space as the sensorium of God. In its initial form the passage recalled 'De gravitatione' the beginning of Newton's rebellion against Cartesian philosophy because of its atheistical tendencies. Following the implications of the rebellion he had traveled far. In the Latin edition of the Opticks he gave the fullest exposition of his own conception of nature he would ever put in print before in his old age he tried to placate critics by seeming retreats to more conventional positions.</p> <br /> <p>"In addition to its importance for Newton's philosophy the Latin edition of the Opticks also provided the occasion for a graceful personal relation. Abraham De Moivre saw it through the press. Every evening according to the story Newton would wait for him in a coffeehouse where De Moivre would go as soon as he finished the mathematical lessons with which he supported himself. Newton would take him home and the two would spend the evening in philosophical discussion. De Moivre was one of the young men in London disciples really with whom Newton found companionship possible in a way it had never been in Cambridge. Another young disciple Samuel Clarke translated the Opticks into Latin and received £500 for his pains: £100 for each of his five children" Westfall pp. 646-8.</p> <br /> <p>Babson 137; Honeyman 2326; Poggendorff II 277; Wallis 179. Gjertsen The Newton Handbook 1986. Shapiro 'Newton's Optics' pp. 165-198 in: The Oxford Handbook of the History of Physics Buchwald & Fox eds. 2013. Westfall Never at Rest 1980.</p> <br/> <br/> 4to mm pp. xiv 348 2 24 2 43 recte 47 with 19 engraved plates. Contemporary calf. Samuel Smith and Benjamin Walford unknown
29796New York: Gnome Press. 1951 1952 1953. First edition first printing. First edition first printing. Three volumes. Publisher's original first state navy blue Foundation red Foundation and Empire and blue Second Foundation cloth with red black and brown titles to the spine in the David Kyle Edd Cartier and Ric Binkley illustrated dustwrappers. A better than very good set. The bindings square and firm with just a little bumping to the spine tips and rubbing to the extremities the cloth bright and fresh. The contents are clean throughout and without inscriptions or stamps. 'Second Foundation' is a little spotted to the prelims and closed text-block edge. Complete with the uniformly bright lightly rubbed and nicked first state dustwrappers each with a few closed tears. 'Foundation and Empire' is price-clipped and with a small chip to the bottom edge of the lower panel. 'Foundation' and 'Second Foundation' with just a touch of fading to the red lettering on the spine are correctly priced $2.75 to the front flap. All three volumes are housed in a bespoke quarter morocco folding case with titles in gilt to the spine. An attractive set in entirely original condition. Isaac Asimov's magnum opus and a classic of the science fiction genre a trilogy about the political struggles of a far-future galactic empire as it teeters on the brink of demise. Winner of the one-time Hugo Award for 'Best All-Time Series' in 1966 beating J. R. R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' to the surprise of Asimov himself. Originally published as a series of short stories and novellas in Astounding Magazine from 1942-1950 it appears here in book form for the first time. Asimov later added four further novels to the series two sequels 'Foundation's Edge' 1982 and 'Foundation and Earth 1986 and two prequels 'Prelude to Foundation' 1988 and 'Forward to Foundation' 1993. L. W. Currey: Science Fiction And Fantasy Authors A Bibliography Of Their First Printings. Further details and images for any of the items listed are available on request. Lucius Books welcomes direct contact with our customers. New York: Gnome Press. 1951, 1952, 1953 hardcover
55265Amsterdam: Estampado en caza de Iaacob de Cordova 5441. First edition. Hardcover. g to vg-. Large quarto. 5 634pp. Re-backed in modern spine with raised bands blind-stamped tooling and the original gilt-stamped leather label pasted on. Retains original leather boards. Edges of the book block in red. Engraved title page. Text throughout printed in a two-column format with decorative woodcut initials and tailpieces.<br /> <br /> This work is a paraphrased translation of the Pentateuch the Five Books of Moses into Spanish by Rabbi Isaac Aboab da Fonseca 1605-1693 seamlessly incorporating and utilizing past rabbinic commentary and midrash into the text. The previous commentaries referenced by Aboab throughout are usually attributed to the views of "sages" or "theologians" without specifically citing the individual source. The book was important for the ex-converso Sephardic Jewish community of Amsterdam as many of these Jews who had in more recent years reconnected with there Jewish heritage after a period of more than one hundred years living as Catholics on the Iberian peninsula could not read Hebrew. This publication is one of a large number of works of Judaica including bibles and prayer books published from the 16th - early 18th centuries which catered to that community. The author a respected scholar and prominent member of the Sephardic community was himself from a Portuguese Jewish family which had previously been forcibly converted to Christianity. The work is considered to be Aboab's magnum opus and was the standard by which all other similar works of the period were judged.<br /> <br /> The engravings which surround the text on the title page by Jan van den Aveele c. 1650 - 1727 depict a number of biblical scenes and figures and contain some Hebrew text. The prologue contains approbations including some Hebrew text from three other prominent religious figures in the community: Jacob ben Aaron Sasportas 1610 – 1698 Immanuel Abenatar Melo and Selomoh de Oliveira.<br /> <br /> Text throughout in Spanish.<br /> <br /> Binding with some light rubbing to the extremities and some period abrasions to the covers. Interior with some light water staining to the interior covers and free endpapers. Text pages throughout with some sporadic minor to light foxing and water stains with a few small instances of worming or other holes. Title page with a small hole at the center and a closed tear at the bottom. The initial 7 printed leaves have been repaired and/or reinforced to one degree or another mostly in the margins. In the case of the title page laid down this has resulted in some minor loss of image to the edges of the leaf and some loss of text along the left margin of the prologue leaf and on p.1 and 3. Pages throughout on the whole in good shape. Binding in very good- interior in good condition overall. About the author:<br /> Isaac Aboab da Fonseca 1605-1693 was a leading Rabbi and scholar of the Portuguese Jewish community of Amsterdam in the 17th century. He was born in the Portuguese town of Castro Daire as Simão da Fonseca and was a member of the large and prominent Aboab family which was comprised of many noted rabbis scholars physicians and merchants over the centuries. He was born into a family of conversos but still constant anti-Semitic persecution caused the family to immigrate to Amsterdam when Isaac was seven years old. There they reestablished their Jewish roots. From 1642-1654 he was appointed to be the head of the Jewish community in Recife Brazil during the brief period of Dutch control. He served as Rabbi of the Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue the first synagogue in the Americas. Upon the retaking of the colony by the Portuguese Aboab came back to Amsterdam and in 1656 he was one of several prominent religious leaders of the Portuguese-Jewish community of Amsterdam to excommunicate the famed philosopher Baruch Spinoza.<br /> <br /> Reference: Darlow and Moule #8481. Estampado en caza de Iaacob de Cordova hardcover
1803327150London: Symonds 1803. hardcover. near fine. 3 volumes. 55 folding copper engravings and small engravings throughout the text frontispiece copperplate portrait of Isaac Newton in volume 1. 8vo handsomely rebound in full dark brown calf with blind-stamped design on covers and spine black leather spine labels. Some scattered age toning and spotting; neat small ownership name at top of title pages and half titles. London: H. D. Symonds 1803. A scarce set in a handsome binding.<br/> <br/> Symonds unknown
18452109210003Philadelphia : Printed by C. Sherman for the editor 5605 1845. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. First Jewish Translation of the Pentateuch into English: The Standard American Jewish Bible during the 19th Century 5 volume set; 20 cm. Bound in contemporary tooled calf. Good bindings and covers. Minor shelf wear rubbing but sound. Marbled end sheets. Added title page in Hebrew. Text is printed in Hebrew and English on facing pages. Clean unmarked pages. p. 22 in Leviticus is creased. Early inscription from 1881 to "Mosley from Brother Abraham 1881 Cincinnati." v.2 lacks the blank end pages. Contents: v.1. The book of Genesis.; v. 2. The book of Exodus.; v. 3. The book of Leviticus.; v. 4. The book of Numbers.; v.5. Deuteronomy. <br> Leeser's was the first English translation of the Torah by a Jewish translator. Prior to its publications English Jews used the King James translation. Isaac Lesser 1806-1868 was a Jewish-American newspaper editor The Occident religious leader Congregation Mikveh Israel in Philadelpha publisher and scholar. Born in Germany Leeser studied Latin German and Hebrew under the chief rabbi of Munster. Leeser helped found the Jewish press of America. His work laid the foundations for Modern Orthodox and Conservative Judaism. Leeser doubted that "the precious word of God ever appeared among us in a more beautiful form than the volumes in which I am now engaged." Leeser avoided reliance on earlier English translations though he made some use of German translations and noted that "the arrangement is strictly Jewish. My intention was to furnish a book for the service of the Synagogue both German and Portuguese." References: Goldman 7; Hills 1273; Rosenbach 569. Philadelphia : Printed by C. Sherman, for the editor, 5605 hardcover
161121770Amsterdam: Jodocus Hondius 1611. Contemporary limp vellum sewn on 4 supports laced through the joints with the manuscript title and author on the spine. Folio. With an engraved title 7 engraved maps and plates 5 folding 2 double-page and 50 engraved maps and views in the text. First edition of the first objective description of Amsterdam and its history with extensive accounts of Dutch East India Company's VOC maritime trade exploration and navigation. It contains the report of Willem Barentsz' voyages to the Arctic region in search of a North-East passage to Asia 1594-1597 the accounts of the two first Dutch voyages to the East Indies including the voyage of Cornelis de Houtman 1595-1597 and the account of the Dutch exploration of Greenland 1594-1596. The work is also important as an Americanum as it gives the results of Henry Hudsons first two voyages to the Arctic 1607-1608 for the Muscovy Company of London. These reports are beautifully illustrated by large maps and views including a famous map of the North Pole region.Johannes Isaac Pontanus 1571-1639 was a physician and historian who was a professor at the University of Harderwijk for most of his life. He wrote several important historical works such as the history of Denmark of the Duchy of Gelre and of Amsterdam. His work on Amsterdam far exceeds the limits of the usual town descriptions elaborately incorporating the history of the voyages of exploration and commerce undertaken by the enterprising citizens of Amsterdam. Pontanus also describes in detail the activities on the Amsterdam stock and commodity markets which were among the earliest of the world and at the time the most important. The extent of the citys trading activities by this time is shown by illustrations of scenes from Indonesia and India to the Arctic.The binding is somewhat stained and soiled with a restoration at the foot of the spine and along the fore and foot edge of the back board. The work is lightly browned and foxed throughout a faint water stain in the margin of the last 11 leaves. Otherwise in good condition.l Alden & Landis II 611/91; V. Gestel-Van het Schip Maps in books of Russia and Poland 218; JCB II p. 78; JFB p. 369; Nijhoff & V. Hattum 252; Sabin 64002; STCN 850336392 19 copies; Tiele Bibl. 876. Jodocus Hondius, hardcover
8012Garden City: Doubleday & Company. Hardcover. Signed by Author. A rare complete set of the six Lucky Starr novels by Isaac Asimov written under the pseudonym Paul French. The first 4 titles are all inscribed and signed by Asimov to Stephen Landan with the final two novels signed via stickers / bookplate. These books are rare on the market with several having no copies available with DJ signed or unsigned. Signed copies are particularly rare and I have found no history of a complete set being available for sale. David Starr is NF book in green boards peach topstain and some normal toning internally but otherwise fine. Inscribed on title page. NF unclipped DJ showing some toning to white pages very minor edgewear and now in brodart jacket. Lucky Starr and the Pirates VG book general wear and fading to boards. Blue topstain with possible dampstain. Internally in fine condition but with toning on endpapers. Inscribed on title page. VG DJ showing dampstain along spine visible inside and on edge and bottom of the back panel and backflap. Unclipped with some edgewear and small closed tear on the bottom back. Now with brodart cover. Oceans of Venus about NF minor wear to the boards crips black lettering on spine. Internally fine and inscribed on the title page. VG DJ showing some chipping mostly on top and bottom of spine unclipped and now with brodart jacket. Big Sun of Mercury NF or better book. Crisp boards and lettering some toning to end papers and old dogear fold visible on page 45. Inscribed by Asimov on front endpaper. VG unclipped jacket some minor edgewear and chipping. Small closed tear and fold on back panel ow with brodart jacket. Moons of Jupiter beautiful copy Fine condition signed on inserted sticker / bookplate in front endpaper. Fine DJ unclipped slight fading to the spine and now in brodart. Rings of Saturn NF or better book small abrasion on spine but otherwise in fine condition signed via inserted sticker / bookplate. NF unclipped DJ some abrasion to the front cover but otherwise in fine condition. An exceptional set and I believe each copy individually just about the best copy available at time of listing. For more information and detailed photos please feel free to get in touch. Doubleday & Company hardcover
175646122London.: Printed for T. Osborne and J. Shipton . &c. 1756. Contemporary mottled calf. 2 vols. Folio. 412 x 258 mm. Engraved frontispiece printed title in red and black with engraved vignette preface list of plates contents and Ware's text in ten books illustrated with 114 engraved plates 14 folding with irregular numbering in first state with the numbers within the platemark and plate 70 / 71 titled 'Warwick Shire' final eaves with index. PROVENANCE: Ownership signature of John Ingilby to title likely Sir John Ingilby 1705 - 1772 or his illegitimate son also SIr John Ingilby 1758 - 1815; ownership signature of W. B. Colthunt and date '27 Oct. 1919' to front free endpaper. The first edition of Isaac Ware's practical and comprehensive manual of architecture.Isaac Ware 1704 - 1766 the associate of Lord Burlington member of the St. Martin's Lane Academy and member of the 'Board of Works' was already associated with a number of important architecture books 'The Designs of Inigo Jones . &c.' of 1731 the 'Plans . of Houghton' of 1735 'The Four Books of Architecture of Andrea Palladio' of 1738 and the translation of Sirigatti of 1756 before he issued this his massive magnum opus. A follower but not a slavish one of Palladio and Vitruvius Ware offers the two as the pinnacles and authorities for all of architecture but cautions against blind acceptance. Of major importance to English Palladianism Ware's Georgian legacy is also relevant and his 'Complete Body' was of such interest to his contemporaries that a second edition was published a short time after his death in 1766.'Like Vitruvius and Alberti before him Ware arranged his treatise in ten books. Having defined the most commonly used architectural terms he devotes the rest of book one to a discussion of materials. Book two is divided into five sections: the first on location; the second on the functional parts of a building and the third fourth and fifth on the orders. Book three begins the practical advice on house construction. Books four five and six deal with doors windows and interior ornament book seven with exterior ornament and garden buildings book eight with bridges. Book nine consists of an interesting return to what Ware calls 'the construction of elevations upon the true principles of architecture' . It is in the nature of an appendix to the whole and allows Ware to write cuttingly of modern practices. Book ten is a brief introduction to mathematics and mensuration . '. Millard.'There was a copy of either the 1756 or 1767 edition in Jefferson's private library at the time of his death . The copy Jefferson ordered for the University in the section on 'Architecture' of the want list can be identified as either of these two editions from the title but there is no record of the library's ever having received it.' Jefferson's Fine Arts Library pg. 374.Park 84; Fowler 436; Millard 87; Jefferson's Fine Arts Library 126a. Printed for T. Osborne and J. Shipton ... &c. unknown
177153117Amsterdam: Marc Michel Rey 1771. First Edition. Very Good. Octavo. xvi 128 8: "Etat des Finances en Angleterre" 129-384 2: errata; blankpp. Woodcut ornaments; 4 half-titles. Collation: 8 A-H8 H4 I-Z8 Aa8 chi1 = 205 leaves. Contemporary marbled calf lightly rubbed at extremities gilt-tooled spine with raised bands gilt morocco lettering piece; edges stained red; marbled endleaves. Small patch of marginal damp staining to bottom corner of first 15 and final 10 leaves; signature Aa mildly embrowned else text crisp and clean throughout. Overall a very good copy.<br /> <br /> Rare complete first edition of "one of the great documents in the history of political economy" EJ. In addition to the brief discursus on English finances inserted between the second and third parts of the main treatise our copy includes the usually missing supplement pp. 369-384 "Addition au Traité de la Circulation et du Crédit. Mémoire pour la suppression du Belasting" along with the concluding errata leaf.<br /> <br /> The present Treatise is a refutation of the physiocrats who had advocated a primarily agricultural economy. Arguing against Hume de Pinto seeks to defend the economically productive role of the national debt which he sees exemplified in the current British system. While Marx notoriously described de Pinto as "the Pindar of the Amsterdam stock exchange" for his advocacy of speculation Werner Sombart regarded him as the "beginner of the modern age of economics and the first to understand the growth of credit" EJ. De Pinto's other works include Essai sur le luxe and Du jeu de cartes both reprinted in the present work and the later Precis de arguments contre les matérialistes The Hague 1774.<br /> <br /> The main treatise is divided into four parts followed by six brief works: 1. Lettre sur la jalousie du commerce Letter on the Jealousy of Commerce; 2. Tableau ou Exposé de ce qu'on appelle le Commerce ou plutôt le Jeu d'Actions en Hollande A Presentation of What is Called Commerce or the Game of Actions in Holland; 3. Methode dont on se sert en Hollande pour faire la perceptions des taxes & des impôts sur les biens fonds; & comment on en verse le provenu dans la Caisse de l'Etat The Method Used in Holland to Collect Duties and Real Estate Taxes and How the Proceeds Are Payed into the State Treasury; 4. Essai sur le luxe An Essay on Luxury first printed at Amsterdam 1762; 5. Lettre de l'autheur à Mr. D. sur le jeu des cartes The Author's Letter to Mr. Diderot on Card Playing first printed at London 1768; 6. Mémoire pour la suppression du Belasting ou Impôt sur les Actions de Compagnie des Indes Orientales A Memorandum for the Suppression of the "Belasting" or Tax on the East India Company Shares. The final opuscule which appears in relatively few copies of the Traité is published here for the first time.<br /> <br /> Isaac de Pinto 1717-1787 was the scion of a wealthy Sephardic family which traced their origins back to Portugal and had emigrated to the Dutch Republic. "He had a broad education and had mastered many languages in which he corresponded with famous philosophers and maintained contact with the European elite of his day including the court of the Dutch stadholder. In 1748 he helped to finance Stadholder William IV's war against France" Bernfeld & Wallet. "For his services in arranging favorable terms for English trade in India at the Treaty of Paris which ended the Seven Years' War 1756-63 Pinto was lavishly rewarded by the East India Company a few years later 1767" EJ. His correspondents included David Hume and Denis Diderot. De Pinto made a name for himself when he responded to Voltaire's mocking article on the Jews which appeared in the latter's Dictionnaire Philosophique with his Apologie pour la nation juive Amsterdam 1762. Presenting himself as a proud Portuguese he argued that "Voltaire had neglected to draw a distinction between the often wealthy Sephardim with their refined manners and the Ashkenazim whom he regarded as far poorer and sometimes unprincipled as a result of persecution and economic misery" Bernfeld & Wallet. Barbier 4: 752; T. L. Bernfeld & B. Wallet Jews in the Netherlands: A Short History Amsterdam Univ. Press 2023 p. 89; Enc. Jud. 13: 553-554; Goldsmiths' 10792; Kress 6812.<br /> <br /> Full title and Imprint: Traité de la Circulation et du Crédit. Contenant une Analyse raisonnée des Fonds d'Angleterre & de ce qu'on appelle Commerce ou Jeu d'Actions ; un Examen critique de plusieurs Traités sur les Impôts les Finances l'Agriculture la Population le Commerce &c. précédé de l'Extrait d'un Ouvrage intitulé Bilan général & raisonné de l'Angleterre depuis 1600 jusqu'en 1761 ; & Suivi d'une Lettre sur la Jalousie du Commerce où l'on prouve que l'intérêt des Puissances commerçantes ne se croise point &c. avec un Tableau de ce qu'on appelle Commerce ou plutôt Jeu d'Actions en Hollande. Par l'auteur de l'Essai sur le Luxe & de la Lettre sur le Jeu des Cartes qu'on a ajoutés à la fin. A Amsterdam chez Marc Michel Rey. MDCCLXXI. Marc Michel Rey unknown
169555736Amsterdam: Be-veit ha-meshutafim Asher Anshil ben Eliezer ve-Yisakhar Ber ben Avraham Eliezer/ Moses Wiesel 1695. First edition. Hardcover. g to near fine. Small folio 30 by 18.8 cm. Collation: aleph-vav4 zayin2 = 26 numbered leaves. Full period brown paper boards re-backed with a brown leather spine with raised bands.<br /> <br /> Letterpress title-page with ornate floral woodcut device; additional engraved title-page mounted depicting Moses and Aaron along with six small biblical scenes within round borders all against an architectural background. Engraved folding map at rear mounted; main title with woodcut vignette; 14 half-page engraved illustrations in the text.<br /> <br /> This gorgeously illustrated work is the first edition of the famous and highly influential Passover Haggadah printed in Amsterdam in 1695. Simply known as the Amsterdam Haggadah this edition stands as among the most imitated and copied haggadahs in history and was the first to be illustrated with copperplate engravings. Previous illustrated haggadahs had used woodcuts. The popularity of these illustrations can be attested by the huge numbers of reprint editions over the centuries. There are 14 finely printed large in-text engravings plus the full page engraved title page showing Moses Aaron and Adam in the Garden of Eden. Some of these images illustrate the traditional content of the Passover seder and/or the exodus story while some are other biblical stories less directly related. Images include: the Rabbis of Bene Brak discussing the Passover story the four sons Abraham smashing the idols of his father Abraham welcoming the three angels Moses slaying the Egyptian overseer the rescuing Moses from the river Moses and Aaron coming to Pharaoh w/ staves turning to snakes the ten plagues the Egyptian army drowning in the Red Sea the Exodus the receiving of the Ten Commandments at Mt. Sinai the eating of the Pascal Lamb King David composing his psalms and finally an exterior view of the Holy Temple with the cityscape of Jerusalem in the background. All images are captioned underneath with relevant passages in Hebrew. The engravings were all created by Abraham ben Jacob a German convert to Judaism who had moved to Amsterdam although some sources over the years misattributed them to financier Moses Wiesel 6 of which were adaptations and/or modifications of previous images by Swiss artist Matthäus Merian 1593-1650 from his original work "Icones Biblicae" 1625-30.<br /> <br /> In addition to the in text engravings there is famously a phenomenal fold-out engraved biblical map of the holy land. Measuring a total of 19.5x11.5" the map shows the land of Israel the Sinai desert and Egypt in landscape orientation looking eastward towards the top of the map. It traces the journey of the Israelites starting with the Exodus from Egypt through the desert and into the Land of Israel. The map is detailed showing the areas of the twelve tribes important locations and cities as well as geographic features including the Red Sea Mount Sinai the Dead Sea the Sea of Galilee and many others. The map is decorated with additional illustrations near the bottom and includes a key. This beautiful work also by Abraham ben Jacob is considered among the earliest if not the first map of its kind to be printed within a Hebrew publication. It is now known to have been heavily based on the previously printed 1620 map in Hebrew by Jacob ben Abraham Zaddiq and Abraham Goos 1590 - ca. 1643 which itself was based on the map of 1590 by Christian Kruik van Adrichom Adrichem printed in Latin.<br /> <br /> Text throughout is printed in Hebrew with smaller text in Rashi script underneath containing famous commentary on the Passover Haggadah by acclaimed Portuguese Rabbi and scholar Isaac ben Judah Abarbanel 1437-1508. The verso of the title page contains the order of the Passover seder with brief instructions in both Ladino Judeo-Spanish and Yiddish Judeo-German a nod to the subtitle of Haggadah which references the both Ashkenazi and Sephardic traditions.<br /> <br /> This copy with binding in beautiful condition with being professionally restored includining spine re-backed to style. Book block tight. Interior with some staining to pages throughout from use. Binding in very good to near fine inteiror in good condition overall. Hebrew title: סדר הגדה של פסח ×›×ž× ×”×’ ××©×›× ×– וספרד <br /> Alternate transliterations: Seder Hagadah shel Pesah Seder Hagadah sel Pesah<br /> <br /> References: Friedberg 278 Fuks HTN II 521; Yudlov Haggadah 93; Vinograd Amsterdam 627; Ya'ari no. 59; Laor 876 Map; Nebenzahl pp.138-1389 Map; Yerushalmi plate 59-62; Rosenau "Vision of the Temple" p.135 146-7. Be-veit ha-meshutafim [Asher Anshil ben Eliezer ve-Yisakhar Ber ben Avraham Eliezer]/ Moses Wiesel hardcover
1820ST12078London: R. Ackermann 1820. First Edition in English First Issue. ONE OF 50 LARGE PAPER COPIES. 422 x 324 mm. 16 5/8 x 12 3/4". sheets 407 x 318 mm. 16 x 12 1/2". xiv ii 178 pp.Translated from the German by John Black. <br/> Excellent contemporary red half morocco over marbled boards by Charles Hering stamp-signed on verso of front free endpaper newly rebacked and recornered to style by Courtland Benson wide raised bands and panels attractively gilt in scrolling designs gilt titling all edges gilt. 24 HAND-COLORED PLATES OF THE RHINE plus one folding map taken from the drawings of Christian Georg Schütz and engraved by Sutherland Havell and Bartlett. A Large Paper Copy. Front pastedown with armorial bookplate of "R G V"; front free endpaper with evidence of bookplate removal. Abbey "Travel" I 217; Tooley 234. ◆Offsetting onto tissue guards indicating that they have done their job one tissue guard missing but no offsetting onto text in this case isolated trivial thumbing foxing or rust spots but A FINE AND ESPECIALLY DESIRABLE COPY the beautifully restored binding unworn the text and plates with only the most minor imperfections and the margins of this special copy remarkably broad.<br/> <br/> This is one of Ackermann's major color plate books and apparently the first in his "Picturesque Tours" series others of which explore the Seine the Ganges and the Thames. The book describes a trip down the Rhine on that part of the river generally considered most romantic and charming. The account contains not only topographical descriptions but considerable historical information and details of popular traditions. The tone is frankly advocative the book being written "with a view chiefly to the information of travellers of cultivated minds who may be induced to visit this interesting portion of Germany." The main appeal of the book for us today of course resides in its spacious and richly colored plates. The irresistibly scenic views seem to justify the book's claim that the region depicted is "a portion of heaven fallen down to earth." Our plates are early impressions and as in other contexts size matters here: the sheets in our volume are 407 mm. tall appreciably larger than most of the copies seen in auction records which measure on average approximately 330 mm. Abbey's untrimmed copy measured 425 mm. and a Large Paper Copy sold at Sotheby's in 2007 had sheets 402 mm. tall. As the limitation would indicate copies on Large Paper are very uncommonly seen and our copy is beautiful with especially well-preserved text and plates and an exceedingly handsome replica spine. R. Ackermann unknown
17296375London: William Innys for the Royal Society 1729. First edition. <p>First edition in the original Latin of Newton's Cambridge lectures on optics-his earliest systematic exposition of the mathematical theory of light and colour delivered as Lucasian Professor and published here for the first time from his manuscripts. These lectures form the foundation of Newton's later Opticks 1704 but include substantial mathematical content omitted from that more accessible English version. Notably they contain Newton's formulation of the compound nature of white light a cornerstone of modern optical theory.</p>. <p>EDITIO PRINCEPS OF NEWTON'S CAMBRIDGE LECTURES ON OPTICS</p> . <p>First edition of the complete text in the original Latin of Newton's inaugural lectures as the second Lucasian professor of mathematics at Cambridge and the first publication of his lectures on his new mathematical science of colour including his discovery of the compound nature of white light. It was from this material that Newton composed his Opticks of 1704 although in the Opticks he left out the specifically mathematical parts of the lectures which are included here. Newton "was obliged by the statutes of the post to lecture and to deposit the lectures in the University Library. For the period 1670-72 Newton lectured on optics and deposited the lectures in the ULC in October 1674. At one time Newton seemed to be contemplating publishing the lectures together with the mathematical work De methodis but by May 1672 he had decided otherwise and wrote to Collins: 'I have now determined otherwise of them; finding already by the little use I have made of the Presse that I shall not enjoy my former serene liberty till I have done with it' Correspondence I p 161. Consequently . the lectures remained unpublished until after his death as did the De methodis" Gjertsen pp. 409-410. Following Newton's death in March 1727 his followers decided to publish the lectures both in the original Latin and in English. In fact only Part I on the mathematical theory of reflection and refraction was translated and published in English in 1728; part II on colours was omitted. The present Latin edition which includes both parts is thus the editio princeps of the complete series of Newton's lectures including the first publication of his lectures on colours. Based on a copy belonging to David Gregory it was discovered during the printing that there were discrepancies between Gregory's copy and the copy deposited by Newton in the ULC which necessitated the inclusion of a five-page 'Addenda and Corrigenda'. "Today we can appreciate the Lectiones as an invaluable document of Newton's investigations of optics that reveals his ideas in the midst of his most productive period of research. In the inevitable comparison with the Opticks 1704 which recounts research for the most part carried out twenty to thirty years earlier and since refined - sometimes overrefined - the lectures must be judged neither as carefully developed nor as polished. But whatever polish it may lack is more than compensated for by its vitality as Newton boldly attempts in the following pages to create a new mathematical science of color" Shapiro p. 25. Since the Lectiones "was his first and most comprehensive account of his theory of color he naturally drew upon it in his later writings. It served as the immediate source for his 'New theory of light and colors' 1672 in the Philosophical Transactions his first public statement of his theory outside the Cambridge lecture halls. And twenty years later it remained the foundation for the 'definitive' statement of his theory in Book I of the Opticks" ibid. p. 1. This was the only separate edition of Newton's complete lectures: the text was published six more times in the eighteenth century in various collections of Newton's works.</p> <br /> <p>Provenance: 'Ex-libris Dutour' on front free endpaper followed by a price; some marginal notes in Latin.</p> <br /> <p>"Upon his appointment as Isaac Barrow's successor to the Lucasian chair in the late autumn of 1669 Newton was confronted with developing a series of lectures to begin the following January. In a natural extension to Barrow's prior series of optical lectures published as Lectiones XVIII 1669 he took the opportunity to make the first formal presentation of his new mathematical science of color. The Lucasian Professor was required to give one lecture for about one hour each week during the term and to submit annually not fewer than ten of those lectures to the Vice-Chancellor for deposit in the University Library for public use. Newton complied with this regulation somewhat tardily in October 1674 when he delivered to the Vice-Chancellor his Optica divided into two parts with a total of thirty-one lectures. According to the marginal annotations the first lecture of Part I was delivered in January 1670 at the beginning of Lent term and Lecture 9 of Part I and Lectures 4 and 14 of Part II opened the Michaelmas terms beginning in October of 1670 1671 and 1672" Shapiro p. 16.</p> <br /> <p>As noted above by the winter of 1671-2 Newton had decided to publish the Optica together with his mathematical treatise De methodis serierum et fluxionum the latter was not actually published until 1736. However following the publication of his 'New theory of light and colours' in the Philosophical Transactions a few months later Newton changed his mind: his 'New theory' had resulted in controversy which he was loathe to encourage by further publications. "In September 1672 Newton had decided to recast his theory in a more formal structure 'in imitation of the Method by wch Mathematicians are wont to prove their doctrines.' The next year in outlining his restructured theory for Christiaan Huygens he recognized that it needed a more rigorous proof . Instead Newton was planning a work very much like the later Opticks . In this newly projected work the sections of the Optica on color were to be extensively rewritten and its mathematical part omitted. There is no evidence that Newton wrote such a discourse during this period but when in the early 1690s he eventually composed the Opticks he in essence followed the plan he had proposed in the mid-1670s . When after still another postponement the Opticks was finally published in 1704 Newton felt it necessary to warn that 'If any other Papers writ on this Subject are got out of my Hands they are imperfect and were perhaps written before I had tried all the Experiments here set down and fully satisfied my self about the Laws of Refractions and Composition of Colours I have here Published what I think proper to come abroad.' He is here inter alia surely referring to his Optica deposited thirty years earlier in the Cambridge University Library . During his lifetime Newton's disavowal was respected by eager members of the Newtonian circle but an English translation of Part I appeared in 1728 the year after his death followed in the next year by the editio princeps of the complete Latin text of the Optica . The editor of the Latin edition emphasized the significance of the geometrical demonstrations and philosophical arguments in Part I because in the Opticks Newton 'seems to have been as careful as possible not to mix geometrical demonstrations with philosophical arguments and when it was necessary to set forth a mathematical proposition its demonstration scarcely ever occurs' . He also perceptively recognized that with respect to color 'many things are found in each with the same meaning but are explained in a different manner'" ibid. pp. 21-23.</p> <br /> <p>"After briefly paying tribute to Barrow and deriding efforts to improve refracting telescopes by the use of nonspherical lenses Newton devotes the first two lectures of Part I to laying the foundations for the whole of the Lectures: a demonstration that direct sunlight consists of rays that differ in their degree of refrangibility. Virtually the entire burden of his demonstration is borne by an analysis of the elongated spectrum formed by passing a narrow beam of sunlight through a prism. Newton's major insight and the key to his demonstration was to recognize that when a prism is placed symmetrically with respect to the incident and emergent beams or at minimum deviation the sun's image would be circular rather than elongated if all rays were refracted equally. An exact solution for the shape of the sun's image with monochromatic rays is exceedingly difficult involving a finite source and aperture and rays incident out of the principal plane; but he is able to demonstrate that under particular conditions such as with a point aperture the image is nearly circular. This was sufficient for his purpose for he had found the spectrum's length to be five times its breadth thus making small deviations from the assumed condition inconsequential.</p> <br /> <p>"Newton begins Lecture 2 by describing the shape of the spectrum to be an oblong bounded by straight edges and semicircular ends and he argues formed by innumerable overlapping circular images of the sun each consisting of rays of a different refrangibility . The thrust of the remainder of the lecture describes how to decrease the effective size of the source and thus the circular images and to approach the ideal spectrum - a straight line with no breadth - formed by a point source. By this mode of demonstration culminating in the observation of Venus's spectrum he makes the actually observed shape of the sun's spectrum inessential to his proof that its elongation is caused by unequal refrangibility ibid. pp. 26-27.</p> <br /> <p>"Newton begins his 'dissertation on the measure of refractions' which constitutes the next three lectures with an explanation of Descartes's sine law of refraction which he extends - without experimental demonstration - to rays of each color . Next in two lemmas he derives the equations for his preferred method to measure the index of refraction that of minimum deviation in prisms one of his most important contributions to quantitative experimental optics . Newton opens Lecture 10 by extending the method of minimum deviation to fluids with the use of a hollow prism with glass sides and he illustrates this method by a measurement of the mean index of refraction of water . He then advances to the next phase of his investigation of refraction: to determine the indices of refraction of the extreme rays or the chromatic dispersion . When the prism is placed at minimum deviation for the mean refrangible rays he measure the length of the spectrum and thereby determines the angular dispersion. He presents a simple measurement and calculation for the dispersion of glass .</p> <br /> <p>"Newton concludes his 'dissertation on the measures of refraction' in Lecture 11 by setting forth a dispersion law which serves as the foundation for the rest of the Lectures. He freely admits that it is a purely theoretical construct that he has not yet experimentally tested. Though he presents his dispersion law solely in mathematical terms without any mechanical interpretation it is evidently a modification of Descartes's projectile model for a single sort of ray extended to apply to polychromatic rays. It represents the very ideal of a rational optics for the indices of refraction of rays of every color in any medium can be determined with only a single measurement as Newton illustrates with water .</p> <br /> <p>"In Lectures 12 and 13 on refraction at a single plane surface Newton attempts to uncover the physical implications of the laws of refraction the sine law and his dispersion law by a thorough mathematical analysis. Since that dispersion law was so tenuously founded and is the starting point for much of his analysis these lectures are now as notable for their mathematical analyses as for their contributions to optics.</p> <br /> <p>"Lecture 12 is . devoted to the single problem in Proposition 3 of determining the position of a luminous point viewed obliquely across a plane reflecting surface. Newton's recognition here that there are two image points effectively begins the study of astigmatism . Lecture 13 . studies a natural extension of Proposition 3: to determine the shape of the extended image of a point source due to the varying index of refraction when the point is viewed across a plane surface. He elegantly demonstrates that the images of the point lie on a Dioclean cissoid .</p> <br /> <p>"In the next two pairs of Lectures 14 15 and 16 17 Newton continues his attempt to create a rational science of color by investigating the variation of angular dispersion as the index of refractions and hence the chromatic dispersion of the refracting media vary . The brief Lecture 18 treats refraction in prisms .</p> <br /> <p>"Section 4 on refraction at curved surfaces the conclusion of the mathematical part of the Optica is its highpoint an intimate blend of mathematics and physics consistently yielding novel interesting results . He effectively begins this section in Proposition 29 by determining the image point in a form equivalent to the Gaussian formula for paraxial rays incident upon a single spherical surface; and then in Proposition 30 he extends this result to any curved surface by substituting the center of curvature determined in Lemma 9 in the immediate neighborhood of the incident rays for the center of the spherical surface. In Proposition 31 Newton applies many of the newly wrought mathematical methods such as series expansions and the determination of extrema to find the longitudinal spherical aberration for rays incident on the plane face of a plano-convex lens and then the circle of least confusion. Because of its algebraic formulation this proposition is particularly accessible to the modern reader and provides a fine example of Newton's application of mathematics to physics. In the next proposition he elegantly derives the location of the primary image point or caustic locus for rays obliquely incident upon a spherical surface while also noting the existence and location of the secondary image point. Proposition 33 extends this result to any curved refracting surface. In Proposition 34 he presents his own solution to a problem posed and solved by Descartes: to find the aplanatic surface a Cartesian oval that refracts rays perfectly from a given point to a given point. Pursuing the Cartesian theme in Propositions 35 and 36 he derives the radii of the primary and secondary rainbows and then moving beyond all his contemporaries he generalizes his solution to bows of any order. And to conclude Newton in Proposition 37 calculates the chromatic aberration to show that it is much more enormous - some 1500 times greater - than spherical aberration and once again stresses the significance of his discovery of unequal refrangibility for practical optics" ibid. pp. 36-41.</p> <br /> <p>In Part II Newton begins the 'dissertation on colors' by reiterating his inaugural remarks on the defects of contemporary telescopes and the impediment presented by chromatic aberration and in prelude to his own theory he vigorously attacks both Aristotelian and more recent modification theories of colour. He then presents his theory in five propositions. The first proposition that to differently refrangible rays there correspond different colors had already been established in Part I. Its converse states that different colors are unequally refracted. "To demonstrate this he introduces his crossed-prism experiments where spectra cast on a second transverse prism become inclined to their original orientation because the blue end is always refracted more than the red. Initially he places the second prism transverse to the first one to minimize the unequal incidence arising from the refraction of the first prism; but by passing the refracted rays through two holes far apart so that they fall on the second prism at very nearly the same angle of incidence he eliminated the requirement for any particular orientation of the second prism and arrives at an experimental arrangement virtually identical to the experimentum crucis of the 'New theory' .</p> <br /> <p>"Proposition 2 on the immutability of monochromatic colors is established by first separating the spectral colors from one another and then demonstrating that the more completely they are separated the smaller are their changes after additional refractions. He first separates the colors with two parallel prisms and observes some color change because the adjacent colors are still intermingled but when he adds two more prisms he is unable to detect any further sensible change .</p> <br /> <p>"In Lectures 4-7 Newton carries out the first part of his demonstration of Proposition 3 that white light in particular sunlight is composed of rays of every color by showing five different ways to make white from a mixture of spectral colors: i colors from three prisms are cast onto a screen where they are mixed; ii one face of a prism is covered with an opaque paper with six slits each functioning as one of the prisms in the preceding experiment and then the colors from the various slits mix on a screen; iii light scattered from a screen on which a spectrum has been projected is received on a second screen where the scattered rays mix; iv the colors dispersed by a prism are transmitted through a lens and brought together at its focus; v in a variant of the preceding way a mirror is substituted for the lens. He also illustrates the compound nature of white by a mixture of colored powders and by a froth of soap bubbles .</p> <br /> <p>"Newton now applies himself to the second and more difficult part of his demonstration of Proposition 3 namely to show that the sun's direct light is compounded of colors even before they are apparent. He bases his demonstration on the phenomenon of total reflection for as he discovered the critical angle of reflection varies for each color. In the first and simplest experiment a beam of sunlight is partially reflected and partially refracted at the base of a prism. As the prism is rotated the colors are totally reflected in sequence and the reflected and transmitted beams change color until when the red rays are at last totally reflected and the transmitted beam vanishes the reflective beam is restored to white. Newton argues implicitly appealing to the emission theory of light that this reveals that the colors are in the rays as they arrive from the sun since they preserve and exhibit the same color whether they are reflected refracted. Furthermore this shows that reflected light is compound since white is restored when the last color red is totally reflected. To make this interpretation still more certain he introduces three variants of this basic experiment one of which is an exact analog of the experimentum crucis but with total reflection replacing the second refraction . Newton concludes the proof of Proposition 3 by briefly explaining why the sun's light is yellowish rather than white and then by showing that black is compounded from all colors grey from white and black and all other compound colors from the painter's primaries red yellow and blue. Despite the need for some restrictions and the brevity of its demonstration Proposition 4 that spectral colors can be compounded from their neighbouring colors is an important contribution to the theory of compound colors and displays Newton's keen experimental skill.</p> <br /> <p>"Newton now turns to his fifth and final proposition that natural bodies derive their color from the sort of rays they reflect most. By the principle of color immutability the color of a ray cannot be changed my reflection so that bodies can appear only the color of the rays illuminating them. To explain why all bodies are not therefore the same color in daylight as this principle alone would demand he adds that bodies reflect more of their own daylight color than others. After demonstrating this by illuminating various bodies with monochromatic light he moves beyond this phenomenological account and attributes two distinct powers to bodies: to reflect rays and to transmit them. These rays are complementary for the rays that are not reflected pass through the body and he illustrates this with the colors of such substances as gold leaf which reflects yellow light and transmits blue. Newton did recognize that most bodies are not of this sort but are the same color all around and to explain this he introduces a third power - and a new concept in optics - selective absorption .</p> <br /> <p>"In the concluding section of the Optica Newton considers the colors generated by refractions at curved surfaces namely lenses the eye and raindrops or the rainbow. He first describes the chromatic aberration of a plano-convex lens and gives a simple physical derivation and numerical estimate of its magnitude. Observing that the eye is a lens of sorts which should likewise suffer from chromatic aberration he presents a simple experimental demonstration of its existence. In the last article of Lecture 14 and in all of Lecture 15 Newton indulges in the sort of speculative or hypothetical natural philosophy that he frequently and vigorously decried yet could not always resist. Exhibiting a firm command of Cartesian natural philosophy he explains the cause of the colored circles or coronas that Descartes saw around a candle after he had pressed his eye shut for a long time. While Newton recognizes that an infinity of causes may be devised to explain these colored circles he ascribes them to refractions in wrinkles impressed on the cornea and invoking the principles of hydrostatics rejects Descartes's own suggestion that they are impressed on the crystalline lens. He concludes the Optica in Lecture 16 with a far more notable achievement an explanation of the dimensions and colors of the rainbow based on the mathematical results derived in Part I" ibid. pp. 28-36.</p> <br /> <p>Babson 155; Wallis 191; ESTC t18664. Gjertsen The Newton Handbook 1986. Shapiro ed. The Optical Papers of Isaac Newton Vol. 1 The Optical Lectures 1670-1672 1984.</p> <br/> <br/> 4to 221 x 165 mm pp xii 144 145-152 153-291 5 Addenda and corrigenda with 24 folding engraved plates some spotting scattered foxing. Contemporary marbled sheep spine gilt in compartments red morocco spine label marbled endpapers red edges a little rubbed minor abrasion to upper board. William Innys for the Royal Society unknown
1951006743New York: Gnome Press 1951. Book. Illus. by David Kyle Edd Carter and Ric Binkley. Very Good. Cloth. SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR. First Editions. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. An exceptional and RARE set all three books having been SIGNED AND INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR Isaac Asimov to the same lady in the most intriguing and charming manner - "Foundation" SIGNED AND INSCRIBED "For Laura Jean a passionate Southern gal Isaac Asimov" "Foundation and Empire" SIGNED AND INSCRIBED "For Laura Jean a persistent Southern gal Isaac Asimov" and "Second Foundation " SIGNED AND INSCRIBED "For Laura Jean a married Southern gal Isaac Asimov". Ah to have been a witness to THAT book signing where the sparks were obviously flying ! All three books stated Gnome Press First Editions "Foundation" in dark blue boards with red lettering at spine thinner and narrower paper and with dust jacket too large for this thinner book although stating First Edition 1951 on CP is actually the 1954 2nd Edition. Book is Very Good pages browning slight toning to edges of end pages top edge dusty in a Very Good dust jacket priced $2.75 front flap small chips at spine ends and flap fold tips. "Foundation and Empire" 1952 is First Edition First State in original red cloth in Second Issue dust jacket in blue tones. Book is Very Good pages uniformly browning. In Near Fine dust jacket small chips top and bottom edges rear panel at spine. "Second Foundation" 1953. is First Edition First State in original light blue boards spine stamped in brown Very Good cloth a bit rubbed at spine ends light toning to end pages at edges top edge soiled in a Very Good dust jacket 1/2" chip top edge front panel at spine light edge wear and soiling. Overall a Very Good set with unique Asimov inscriptions of this towering classic of the science fiction genre that continues to remain fresh and current. Gnome Press Hardcover
17521862Spain 1752. 18th-century manuscript. Text in Spanish. 24 handwritten pages in ink in three different hands. Later binding of blank paper using old material. Tiny wormholes at the lower edge of the pages on the first 7 leaves not affecting the legibility. Occasional foxing ink ghosting. Water stains on the last 2 leaves. Overall in fine condition. 18th-century manuscript. Text in Spanish. 24 handwritten pages in ink in three different hands. ff 12. <p><br /> 18th-Century Spanish manuscript about the Spanish involvement in the French Geodesic Mission of 1735 and the Ellipsoid Model of the Earth.<br /> <p><p><br /> The manuscript is an interesting collection of contemporary reports proving the importance of the Spanish role performed by Jorge Juan y Santacilia and Antonio de Ulloa in the so-called French Geodesic Mission 1735 with a particular focus on the polemic over the shape of the Earth. The quotations are conjugated with connecting texts by an anonymous author.<br /> <p><p><br /> One of the important scientific disputes of the late 17th early 18th century was the debate on the shape of the Earth. The assumption of the spherical shape was dominating until the late 17th century when Sir Isaac Newton determined that the Earth was oblate a spheroid stretched over the Equator however at the same time Giovanni Domenico Cassini and his son Jacques supposed that the Earth was prolate stretched along the poles. Eventually in 1735 two expeditions were sent by Louis XV and the French Academy to the Arctic Circle Lapland and to the Equator Ecuador and Peru to gain certainty by measuring the meridian arcs at polar and equatorial latitudes. The equatorial mission was accompanied by two Spanish geographers Jorge Juan y Santacilia and Antonio de Ulloa thus it became the first major international scientific expedition. The findings of the missions confirmed Newton’s hypothesis that the Earth was oblate a rotational ellipsoid.<br /> <p><p><br /> The first part of the manuscript is a lengthy citation of an early Spanish report on the equatorial mission published in the Mercurio histórico y político February 1745; pp. 99–107 which is followed by further references and quotations related to the geographer’s their work and the figure of the Earth such as Benito Jerónimo Feijóo y Montenegro’s Theatro critico universal 1751 Bernardo’s de Ulloa’s Antonio’s father Restablecimento de las fabricas y comercio español 1749 and articles from the Journal de Trévoux or the Gaceta de Zaragoza. The second part is Diego de Torres Villarroel’s 1693–1770 study Prevenciones in: Libros en que estan reatados. Vol. IV.; 1752 in which de Torres the almanac writer and professor of mathematics of a dubious repute opposes the findings of the missions and Newton’s hypothesis of the oblate Earth.<br /> <p><p><br /> Antonio de Ulloa 1716–1795 was a Spanish scientist and explorer the first Spanish governor of Louisiana who is also credited as the discoverer of the element platinum. De Ulloa was a Fellow of the Royal Society and a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His associate Spanish scientist in the Geodesic Mission to Peru was Jorge Juan y Santacilia 1713–1773 who during the mission also measured the heights of the mountains of the Andes. Jorge Juan was the founder of the Real Observatorio de Madrid Royal Observatory of Madrid and he became a Fellow of the Royal Society too. Their co-written memoirs were published in Spanish from 1748 on and their books were very soon translated into French English and German.<br /> <p><p><br /> Literature: Lafuente A.; Mazuecos A.: Gentlemen of the Fixed Point: Science Politics and Adventure in the Geodesic Expedition to the Viceroyalty of Peru in the XVIII Century. pp. 171–203. Retrieved on July 8 2020 from Mayboudi L. S.: chapter 5.1 In: Geometry Creation and Import With COMSOL Multiphysics. Dulles VA USA: Mercury Learning & Information 2019.; Richardson D.; et al: The International Encyclopedia of Geography People the Earth Environment and Technology: Chichester UK; Hoboken NJ: John Wiley & Sons 2017.<br /> <p>. unknown
18201045181820. First Edition. ACKERMANN Rudolph GERNING Baron Johann Isaac von. A Picturesque Tour Along the Rhine from Mentz to Cologne. London: R. Ackermann 1820. Folio 11-1/2 by 13-1/2 inches period-style full green straight-grain morocco gilt-decorated spine and boards. $8800.First edition first issue of one of Ackermanns wonderful Picturesque Tours beautifully illustrated with 24 hand-colored folio aquatints and large folding map. A lovely copy beautifully bound to style.In the history of book production ""there is no more attractive figure than that of Rudolph Ackermann through whose extraordinary enterprise and spirit of adventure aquatint was successfully applied to the illustration of books"" Prideaux 120-23. One of Ackermann's most lucrative projects was his remarkable Picturesque Tours a series of seven books produced between 1820-28. This is his Tour Along the Rhine with beautifully hand-colored aquatints by Daniel Havell and Thomas Sutherland after paintings by Christian Georg Schutz depicting views of Mentz the Castle of Furstenberg the Church of Johannes Pfalz Castle and the town of Kaub the salmon fishery at Lurley Coblentz Bornhofen Cologne and other sites along the river. The plates were pulled and hand-colored in the Ackermann studio whose reputation for producing splendid illustrated publications and disseminating fine aquatint prints spanned over two centuries. The folding map shows the course of the Rhine from Mentz to Cologne. With accompanying text by Baron von Gerning describing the history and culture of the area first published in German in 1819 without illustrations. First issue without plate numbers in the top right corners. Tooley notes that plates 2 and 3 have variants dated either September or October; Abbey argues persuasively that to call either state an issue ""must remain doubtful"" particularly given that large-paper copies have also been seen with the two plates dated October. At any rate the quality of plates in either state are the same high standard; Abbey notes that ""there are definitely some later issues of the book and these can be recognized by having plate numbers at the top right-hand corner. The impressions in these plates are poor and the coloring less good"" Abbey 217. This copy has plates 2 and 3 dated October but most importantly none of the plates bear numbers in the upper right. Text watermarked 1817 and 1818; plates watermarked 1818 and 1819. Abbey Travel 217. Prideaux 337. Tooley 234. Title page neatly rehinged plates fine and fresh hand-coloring vivid. An excellent attractive copy of this beautifully illustrated work. hardcover
056522London: Excudebat Joannes Nichols. 1779-1785. Commentariis illustrabat Samuel Horsley. 5 volumes complete quarto format b/w illus. uniformly bound in early 19th-century full brown calf with gilt trim and spine lettering nicely marbled edges light foxing on the endpapers but the text paper is clean. Lacking the half-title pages which were not bound into this set. A former private bookplate and a former institutional bookplate inside the covers and a faint but very neat embossed blindstamp of the former institutional library on the bottom margin of the titlepages. Brunet IV 48. ESTC T18649. Contents: Vol.1 xxii 592 1p. with two double-folded tables. Vol. 2 xxviii 459 1p. Vol 3 437 48p. with 14 plates. Vol.4 617p. with 12 plates page 617 is misnumbered 609. Vol. 5 vii 550p. with 3 double-folded plates. This was the first collected edition of his Latin/English works. Excudebat Joannes Nichols unknown
