101 résultats
17502420Augsburg: Johann Jacob Haid & son 1750. Six tall narrow folio-sized engravings with etching platemarks 400 x 207 mm. sheets 435 x 277 mm. deckle edges numbered 1-6 in the plate at lower right imprint at lower right I. Haid et filius excudit A. V. Augustae Vindelicorum. Upper edges archivally tipped to mats. Fine. Rare suite of six rococo engravings reproducing Watteau's designs for a folding screen. This apparently unrecorded issue bearing the imprint of the Augsburg print-publisher Johan Jakob Haid and his son Johann Elias Haid is a re-issue of the plates which first appeared in 1729 with the signature of Jacob Wangner and the imprint of the heirs of Jeremias Wolff. OCLC locates a single copy of the Wolff issue at the Bibliothèque nationale de France photographs of the engravings are reproduced in the BnF online catalogue which misspells the artist's name as "Wagner". Wangner's engravings were based on the almost equally rare suite of six plates after Watteau commissioned by Jean Julienne and engraved by Crépy fils Louis Crépy in 1728. For the present issue the engraver's signatures barely visible in the BnF images were removed. The title appears at the foot of the first plate. Each engraving presents a central figure or scene set within a frame of delicate rococo allegorical and ornamental design. Three show the Comédie italienne figures of Pierrot/Gilles Harlequin and Columbina a woman playing the lute on a rug-bedecked stage a pair of allegorical figures flanking an awning above and at bottom the smiling visage of a Commedia dell'Arte character of the opposite sex. The remaining pastoral scenes of courtship or douceur de vie are set within naturalistic elements two with streams flowing over a dripping shell-shaped basin or ledge under which a ghostly face can be dimly discerned. Two painted screens based on these designs were sold at Sotheby's London on Feb. 12 2008 and again on 28 Oct. 2010 with the addition of a third painting from the series. I locate no other copies of the issue with the Haid imprint. On the Wolff issue cf. W. Augustyn "Augsburger Buchillustration im 18. Jahrhundert" in Augsburger Buchdruck und Verlagswesen 1997 p. 820 citing E. Isphording Gottfried Bernhard Göz 1708-1774 1997 pp. 35 ff. On the Crépy engravings cf. Guilmard Maitres ornemanistes p.145; Dacier & Vauflart 159-163; E. de Goncourt Catalogue Raisonné de l'Oeuvre . d'Antoine Watteau 1875 p. 224 nos. 309-314; G. Glorieux À l'enseigne de Gersaint: Edme-François Gersaint marchand d'art sur le Pont Notre Dame 1694-1750 2002 pp. 190 & 192; Mark Millard Collection: French Books no. 170.35 5 of the 6 plates. Johann Jacob Haid & son unknown books
175618865Paris: L'Imprimerie Royale 1756. 12mo pp. viii 275. Second edition after the quarto edition of the same year. Bound in contemporary French calf with gilt spine and with the exception of some insignificant marginal worming in a couple of signatures a very fine copy. Sabin 47511; Wroth American Bookshelf p. 22; Lande 657; TPL 250; Streeter II 1013; Echeverria & Wilkie 756/29. Writing in The John Carter Brown Library Report 1946 pp. 48-49 Lawrence Wroth notes that this is "one of the most important diplomatic documents in American colonial history . in which the French government is justifying its position as a contestant in the French and Indian War. Printed amongst other pertinent documents is Washington's captured journal of the Fort Necessity campaign and spread upon the record the articles of surrender in which the young provincal leader accepted the enemy's designation of the killing of Jumonville as an assassination." Sabin notes "From the evidence drawn from these documents they charge Washington with the murder of Jumonville. The memoirs prove that Jumonville was approaching Washington on an embassy of peace but that Washington unwilling to trust him ordered his advance to be fired upon." The Dictionary of Amercian History in discussing this same battle at Great Meadows near Unionville PA in April of 1754 asserts that Washington learned of the small force of French camped a few miles north of Fort Necessity and after a night march attacked them soon after sunrise killing ten including their commander Jumonville. This was Washington's first battle and the first engagement of the French and Indian War. After Washington's return to Fort Necessity he was attacked by 500 French and 400 Indians eventually capitulating and marching back to Virginia on foot. L'Imprimerie Royale unknown books
1774LV2001Paris:: Jos. Barbou 1774. 1774. Small 8vo. Collation: a8 A-2D8. Pagination: xvi 427 5 pp. Engraved frontispiece by Gravelot and De Longueil printer’s device on title engraved head and tail pieces. Modern full calf blind tooled border gilt-stamped red morocco spine label all edges gilt recent endpapers; moderate browning and foxing notch in bottom margin of E3 with no effect on text. Very nice copy. Vaniere 1664-1739 some-times called "the Virgil of France" became a Jesuit and a highly regarded late Latin poet who was professor and rector of schools belonging to the Jesuits in Montpellier Toulouse and Auch. The present pastoral work regarding a country farm is considered to be his best Latin poem and some believed it raised him to the level of the best Latin poets of the period. The fourteenth poem is about bees. Other books offer poems on horses or cattle 3 of trees 5 & 6 seasonal work 7 & 8 garden 9 wine 11 farmyard 12 stagna ponds 15 and Vivarium: the warren and the park 16. Vaniere died at Toulouse while endeavoring to finish a Latin and French dictionary. Jos. Barbou, 1774. unknown books
1769410381769. <p>Trew Christoph Jacob 1695-1769. Mezzotint portrait by Johann Jacob Haid 1704-67. N.p. Nuremberg 1769 or after. 531 x 356 mm. image measures 406 x 268 mm. Margins a little frayed not affecting image a few small marginal tears repaired but very good.</p> <p>Excellent mezzotint portrait of German physician and botanist Christoph Jacob Trew after whom the East Indian plant genus Trewia is named. Trew was the author of the lavishly illustrated Hortus nitidissimis omnem per annum superbiens floribus 1750-86 and Plantae selectae quarum imagines ad exemplaria naturalia Londini in hortis curiosorum nutrita 1750-73 both with plates engraved after drawings by the noted 18th century botanical artist Georg Dionysius Ehret; the latter work has been described as "one of the great botanical iconographies" Lazarus and Pardoe p. 43. The present portrait appeared as a frontispiece to the Plantae selectae. Trew founded the periodical Commercium litterarium ad rei et medicinae scientiae naturalis one of the first general medical journals and from 1743 served as director of the Kaiserlich-Leopoldinisch-Carolingischen Akademie der Naturforscher. Trew's scientific correspondence numbering over 19000 letters is the largest such collection known; his natural history library of 34000 volumes is now at the University of Erlangen. Lazarus and Pardoe Catalogue of botanical prints and drawings at the National Museums & Galleries of Wales 2003.</p> . unknown books
1741WRCAM37910Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by Andrew Bradford 1741. 32pp. 12mo. Printed self-wrappers stitched. Contemporary ink inscription "Jacob Taylor" in upper margin of titlepage; contemporary ink correction on p.27. Cellophane tape joining signature at spine occasional minor foxing. Else bright clean and very good. In a half morocco and cloth box. An almanac by Jacob Taylor who published his important Pennsylvania almanac for the years 1700 to 1746. It is a distinct possibility that the present copy was owned and signed by Taylor as his inscribed name on the titlepage is accompanied later in the volume by a manuscript correction to a poem "manumated" becomes "manumitted". Taylor took the poetry in his almanacs seriously printing excerpts of PARADISE LOST in 1741 and composing well-received verse of his own. In addition to the calendar this 1746 almanac contains a substantial amount of poetry; lists of courts fairs and Quaker meetings; and a discussion of Hannibal's oath before the gods. This he concludes with a quote from the 1739 almanac of "R. Saunders" Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard on the dangers of false wit and pride in the present age commenting favorably on Saunders "By wicked Wit the Truth is often drown'd; Here certain Truth adorn'd with Wit is found" p.23. <br> <br> Taylor's almanac was printed by different Philadelphia printers over time. Some were printed by Franklin but this one was issued by Andrew Bradford one of Franklin's rivals and the son of William Bradford the first printer in Philadelphia. DRAKE 9634. EVANS 4818. ESTC W22747. Printed and Sold by Andrew Bradford hardcover books
175723854Printed at Harg and Stenbro near Nykoping in Sweden by Pet. Momma 1757. 4to pp. 8 16 unpaginated lexicon in double column; full contemporary Swedish calf red morocco label; rebacked with old spine laid down endpapers renewed; spine quite rubbed but generally a good sound copy. With a 'Table of Terms of Trade and Navigation' and 'Words of Command and Sea-Terms' occupying 17pp. at the back and another on herbal terms occupying another 12pp. Serenius chaplin to the Swedish embassy in London 1725-35 where he tried to strengthen the relations between Sweden and Great Britain. It was during this time that he began work on his dictionary Dictionarium Suethico-Anglo-Latinum first published in Stockholm in 1741. Termed second edition the present work is basically a new undertaking being twice the size of the original with a much expanded emphasis on etymology. Serenius states in his preface that he has been influenced by Edward Lye and 'in a manner excited by the late lexicographer Mr. Johnson that prodigy of laboriousness and sagacity who in the preface to his excellent Dictionary complains of a scanty knowledge in northern literature É I must own that the judicious author is aright." This must be one of the earliest acknowledgements by a foreign lexicographer of the achievements of Johnson. Serenius does not say so but it seems likely that some of the etymologies were borrowed from him. <br/><br/> unknown books
17571079Printed at Harg and Stenbro near Nykoping in Sweden by Pet. Momma 1757. Second edition with large additions and amendments 4to pp. 8 16 & unpaginated lexicon in double column edges rubbed small cracks starting at the tops and bottoms of the joints but generally a very good copy in contemporary quarter calf over marbled boards; binding firm. <br/><br/> hardcover books
17579016510Harg and Stenbro Sweden: Printed by Pet. Momma director of His Majesty's Printing-House 1757. 2nd . Overall very good condition despite needing to be rebound. Disbound and needs rebinding. The text bloc is clean tight and sound. The fore and bottom edges are uncut. Some inoffensive ink notations on title page of former owners. <br/><br/> Printed by Pet. Momma, director of His Majesty's Printing-House unknown books
173442907Hamburgi: Rudolphum Beneken 1734. 4to pp. 8 35 1 unpaginated lexicon in double column one folding plate wood cut head-pieces; full contemporary sheep blind-tooled spine in 7 compartments contemporary printed paper spine label cracked; illegible contemporary notes on front pastedown lacking front free endpaper else very good and sound. Serenius was chaplin to the Swedish embassy in London 1725-35 where he tried to strengthen the relations between Sweden and Great Britain. It was during this time that he began work on his dictionary. The preliminary essay "De veterum Sveo-gothorum cum Anglis usu et commercio dessertatio" by Ericus Benzelius highlights the parallels between Anglo-Saxon and Swedish and he acknowledges in his Preface the work of George Hickes John Hudson Henry Dodwell Thomas Smith and Sir Humfrey Wanley. Kennedy 2724; this edition not in Vancil or Zaunmüller. <br/><br/> Rudolphum Beneken unknown books
178010913Leiden: for H. Mostert 1780. Contemporary Dutch red-dyed pigskin backed marbled paper boards rubbed front panel with paper loss UNCUT. Schultens' collection contained over twelve thousand titles and rivaled the University library in size. Three quarters of his books dealt with the Abrahamic religions systematic theology biblical commentary church history philology and ancient history including INCUNABLES ILLUMINATED VELLUM COPIES AND ONE HUNDRED ARABIC HEBREW PERSIAN AND TURKISH MANUSCRIPTS. Leiden University acquired eighty of the manuscripts its largest single manuscript purchase in more than a century.     THIS COPY IS PRICED THROUGHOUT by Leiden printer and bookseller Dirk II Haak 1754-18-- who signed the title. In good condition foxed two quires heavily last leaves dampstained in the lower margin.¶Vrolijk & Leeuwen Arabic Studies in the Netherlands 79-82; Blogie Répertoire des catalogues de ventes IV: 30; STCN 241214483. for H. Mostert unknown books
1726D12957Nuremberg: Weigel 1726. Hardcover. Very Good. Early calf rebacked; 8vo 210x124mm; pp. 14 197 11 tables plus frontispiece. No plates. Scarce. <br/><br/> Weigel hardcover books
17683484Amsterdam: Jacobus Loveringh and Abraham Blusse 1768. Full-Leather. Thick Octavo. Three volumes in one Dutch language 1 blank half-title xxviii 1-854pp. Includes 34pp.consisting of 4 tables 1pp. errata 3 blanks. Illustrated with 29 engraved plates most folding. Bound in full contemporary mottled calf 5 raised bands with compartments fully decorated in gilt all edges stamped in red and black outer joints somewwhat cracked but sturdy; corners worn small chip to upper board near spine; very light damp staining to upper gutter of first half of text. Translation of: Biblischer mathematicus oder Erlauterung der H. Schrift aus den mathematischen wissenschaften der arithmetic geometrie static architectur astronomie horographie und optic . Als ein anhang ist beygefuget herrn George Sarganecks Versuch einer anwendung der mathematic in dem articul von der grosse der sunden-schulden. A scarce work on various perspectives; the Tower of Babel Noah's Ark Ptolemy Copernicus and Tycho de Brahe's perspective of earth and the planets Jerusalem and Norway map perspective Architectual perspective ot the Temple of Jerusalem etc. <br/><br/> Jacobus Loveringh and Abraham Blusse hardcover books
1722710581722. Frankfurt 1722. 1st ed. Frankfurt 1722. 1st ed. Classic Study of the Constitutional Law of the Holy Roman Empire Schmauss Johann Jacob 1690-1757. Corpus Juris Publici Academicum: Enthaltend Die Vornehmsten Grund-Gesetze Des Heil. Rom. Reichs Als: Die Guldene Bulle Profan- und Religions-Auch Westphalisch- Und Andere Frieden Die Cammer-Gerichts- und Reichs-Hof-Raths-Ordnungen Reichs-Matricul und Neueste Wahl-Capitulation Nebst einigen Andern Reichs-Constitutionen; Zum Gebrauch so Wohl der Studirenden Jugend Als auch Anderer dem Studio Juris Publici Beflissenen. Frankfurt and Leipzig Zu Finden bey August Martini 1722. xiv 1072 pp. Calf thumb-tabs. Main text in parallel columns. Copperplate portrait frontispiece of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. Octavo 6-3/4" x 4". Contemporary speckled calf gilt armorial crests to center of boards raised bands blind tooling and lettering piece to spine. A few minor nicks to boards light rubbing to extremities gilding mostly rubbed away from crests corners bumped and somewhat worn front hinge starting at foot minor worming to upper corners of front pastedown and preliminaries with no loss to text or plate. Moderate toning to text faint dampspotting in places a few tabs stuck to adjacent leaves a few minor tears where tabs were peeled away. A handsome copy of a scarce title. $1750. First edition. Schmauss was a professor of law at the University of Gottingen. A comprehensive historically grounded work his Corpus Juris Publici established his reputation as the leading expert of his day on the constitutional law of the Holy Roman Empire. Stintzing-Landsberg holds this book in high regard and recommends it as a "convenient collection of sources" for the study of the Empire's constitutional history. It went through several editions and resissues the last in 1794. The last edition was reprinted in 1973. All original editions are scarce or rare. OCLC locates 12 copies of the first edition none in North America. This edition not in VD18. Stintzing-Landsberg Geschichte der Deutschen Rechtswissenschaft Part III Vol.1 126. unknown books
1718009574Zurich Switzerland: Bodmerischen 1718. Book. Very good- condition. Hardcover. First Edition. Quarto 4to. xvi 336 pages of text. Illustrated by 19 leaves of plates one of which is folding. Includes an illustration of a meteorite. Bound in raw compressed grey paper boards which is somewhat worn and lightly stained with spine chipped. Hinges have been strengthened by a conservator. Old vellum spine label is creased soiled and worn. Measures 8.25 inches/209mm height. Light to moderate foxing scattered throughout the text; the plates remain clean. First edition. Bodmerischen Hardcover books
17080000284TiguriZurich: Sumptibus authoris typis Gessnerianis 1708. <br/><br/>First unequivocal demonstration that images contained in rock were from prehistoric animals mainly fish. Sumptibus authoris, typis Gessnerianis unknown books
173631721Lipsiae: Apud haer. Joh. Frid. Braunii 1736. 4to 21.4 cm 8.4". 30 736 73539 7371216 96 pp. <br><br>Sole edition: Edited by theologian Johann Gerhard Meuschen 16801743 this volume presents a prominent Christian Hebraist's analysis of alleged Talmudic references to Jesus and the New Testament accompanied by a variety of contemporary writings similarly focused on how Jewish texts could shed light on the New Testament. In addition to Balthasar Scheidt 161470 professor of Oriental languages at the University of Strasbourg also represented here are Johann Andreas Dantz a.k.a. Danz or Dans 16541727 Herman Wits and Jakob Rhenferd 16541712; the largest part of the volume including several treatises on Jewish baptismal rites is by Dantz professor of Hebrew and theology at Jena noted for his strictly Christological interpretation of the Old Testament.<br>Â Â Â Â The title-page here is in red and black sporting an engraved title vignette. Ornamented with woodcut head- and tailpieces the latter repeated once and a few woodcut initials the primarily Latin text incorporates numerous quotations printed in Hebrew several in Greek three in Arabic and one in Syriac; the sole German quotation is printed in black-letter.<br>Â Â Â Â Provenance: Bookplate of Johann Christian Wilhelm Diederichs 175081 a philosopher and professor of Oriental languages at Göttingen and Königsberg laid in along with those of two seminaries plates formerly affixed to front pastedown. Front fly-leaf and one page each with an inked annotation in the same 18th-century hand possibly Diederichs'. Recent speckled papercovered boards spine with printed paper label; title-page with faded 19th-century institutional rubber-stamp and bottom edges with another stamp lower outer portion of Diederichs bookplate partially torn away. Two leaves each with small paper flaw one marginal one affecting a few letters without loss of sense; a few corners dog-eared. Pages gently age-toned with minor to moderate offsetting and occasional slight spotting; first and last few leaves with margins browned by offsetting from old binding. Two early inked annotations as above and a scattered handful of small inked text corrections. => A thick sturdy fistful of a book. Apud haer. Joh. Frid. Braunii hardcover books
1757D6221Nurnberg: Verlag Georg Lichtenstegers 1757. Hardcover. Very Good. Contemporary morocco; 4to; pp. 12 422 14 plus additional title-page in Latin and 151 engraved plates two of them mistakenly numbered 39. Boards and spine scuffed and worn; endpapers a little browned and some marginal foxing but overall internally bright and clean. Discreet ownership signature on title-p.; previous owner's bookplate on front paste-down. Nice plates images of Greek and Roman antiquities. <br/><br/> Verlag Georg Lichtenstegers hardcover books
173436881London: Alexander Lyon 1734. Quarto. 9 x 7 1/4 inches. 4 38pp. Five folding engraved plates. Early marbled paper wrappers<br/> <br/>The invention of frictionless carriage wheels.<br/> <br/>Rowe referred to by some as Captain Rowe suggesting a nautical career was an English polymath and inventor. He is best remembered as a pioneer of English diving authoring a work on the subject in 1730 and patenting a diving machine following his successful underwater recovery of 33 tons of silver from the wreck of the East India Company ship Vansittart. In the present work he explores his improvements to carriages to reduce the friction upon the shafts and wheels in order to improve their effectiveness.<br/> <br/>ESTC T95742. Alexander Lyon unknown books
170129609Leovardiae Leeuwarden: Heronis Nautae 1701. 4to 19.9 cm 7.8". xvii ff. 678 i.e. 724 44 pp. <br><br>First edition of a collection of essays concerning the linguistic style of the New Testament; among them is Pfochenius's Diatribe de Linguae Graecae Novi Testamenti Puritate the earliest printed treatise on the purity of its Greek style 1629. A preface by German orientalist Jacob Rhenferd 16541712 professor at Franeker the Netherlands' second oldest university until it was disbanded by Napoleon in 1811 outlines both the major tenets of his argument and the opposing arguments by Johannes Cocceius Thomas Gataker and others who identified Hebraisms.<br>Â Â Â Â This is in Latin Greek and Hebrew with sidenotes scattered woodcut initials and a few woodcut tailpieces; an engraved allegorical vignette signed J.G. graces the title-page. <br>Â Â Â Â <br>Â Â Â Â For the history of printed treatises on this subject at Franeker see: L. Fuks and R.G. Fuks-Mansfeld Hebrew Typography in the Northern Netherlands 15851815. Contemporary vellum over boards rubbed and lightly scuffed; spine with morocco label rubbed and faded and old library sticker boards double-ruled in blind with a blind-embossed central cartouche. Interior age-toned with occasional thumb-soiling minor stains and one negligible hole from an ink spot; two old institutional bookplates pressure-stamp to title-page and publication date changed to 1702 MDCCII by adding another "I" in early ink lower edges with rubber-stamp librarian's pencilled shelf-marks to verso of title-page and neatly inked five-digit number to bottom of next leaf. => A solid handsome volume. Heronis Nautae hardcover books
172230308Trajecti ad Rhenum i.e. Utrecht: Apud Guilielmum Vande Water 1722. 4to. 23 ff. 957 1 pp. 9 ff. <br><br>German orientalist Jacob Rhenferd 16541712 a professor at Franeker the Netherlands' second oldest university until it was disbanded by Napoleon in 1811 provides scholars with this massive study of the organization and administration of Synagogues philology baptism comparative grammar of Semitic languages and Jewish "heresies. 19th-century half brown sheep with mottled paper sides; round spine. Ex-library: call number on spine bookplate removed from front pastedown rubber-stamps pencilling charge pocket. A good solid and clean copy. Apud Guilielmum Vande Water unknown books
1708028007Magdeburg: Zufinden in Rengenischer Buchhandle 1708. Small Octavo. Half-title frontispiece title page in red and black 477 pages index. Text is predominantly in German and Latin This is Jacob Friderich Reimman's attempt at an introduction to the Historiam Literariam in general. Leibnitz considered it fascinating as did Pierre Bayle. The frontispiece of the garden maze is fascinating as the author sees the mystery of the vast early history of the language and its Teutonic origins. Bound in full vellum title on spine in brown ink but faded an early previous owner has written neatly in the upper margins the subjects of each page ad underlining what he believed was important passages. An interesting work in nice condition. Zufinden in Rengenischer Buchhandle unknown books
1782M13031Frankfurt am Main:: N.P. 1782. 1782. 8vo. Collation: A-3F8 a8 -a1 blank b2 1. Pagination: 2 832 XXII pp. Index. Original paper boards ms. spine title edges green; some foxing toning hint of waterstaining to bottom edge at rear. Very good. First Printing. Early German medical journal complete year 1782 with book reviews articles etc. Founded in 1780 this journal ran to 1788 and was superseded by the Neues medicinisches Wochenblatt. Other parts of this work were edited by Dr. Johann Valentin Muller and Dr. Georg Friedrich Hoffmann. [N.P.], 1782. hardcover books
1785870031785. PLENCK Joseph Jacob. TOXICOLOGIA seu Doctrina de Venenis et Antidotis. Toxicology or the Knowledge of Poisons and their Antidotes. Vienna: Rudolph Graeffer 1785. First edition. 338 16 pp. Octavo calf worn at extremities; front board detached. Small amount of faint spotting else fine internally. unknown books
1725227524Uppsala: Werner 1725. Collation π1 A-C8; Pp. i title-ii verso blank 1-48. 1 vols. 16mo. Stitched. Ink signature at foot of title minor paper flaw in top margin of first two leaves three manuscript corrections in text else fine. Collation π1 A-C8; Pp. i title-ii verso blank 1-48. 1 vols. 16mo. The Norse and the Skraelings in America. Early work on the Norse voyages to Greenland Vinland Helluland Skraelingaland and discussion of the textual record of the exploration of North America.<br/><br/>Celsius the uncle of Anders of the temperaturs scale fame was an early mentor of Carl Linneaus. Howes W15; Sabin 100960; Alden 725/208 Werner unknown books
1747RW1580London:: Printed by W. Innys T. Longman and T. Shewell C. Hitch and M. Senex 1747. 1747. 2 volumes. 4to. 4 lxxv 1 475 1; ii 389 33 pp. Original full calf raised bands calf gilt-stamped red & brown spine labels; joints cracked. Small rubberstamp on title. Very good. NICE CLEAN COPY. Sixth edition "greatly improved by the author" of 'sGravedande's extensive experimentation and instruction in Newtonian physics. The experiments range from basic physics to hydraulics optics electricity and astronomy. The entire work is profusely illustrated with folding engraved plates detailing among many other experiments and apparatuses a steam-powered Hero's Engine plate 78 a static electricity generator plate 79 the first magic lantern slide projector plate 109 the prismatic effect of a rainbow plate 120 and the known solar system plate 122. 'sGravesande "is the author of Elements de physique demonstres mathematiquement. . . ou introduction a la philosophie Newtonienne which was translated from the Latin and published at Leyden in 1746. In the second volume he gives a description of an electrical machine constructed on the plan of that of Hauksbee. It consisted merely of a crystal globe which was mounted upon a copper stand and against which was pressed the hand of the operator while it was made to revolve rapidly by means of a large wheel." Mottelay. / Willem Jacob 'sGravesande was a Dutch philosopher and mathematician. Born in 's-Hertogenbosch he studied law in Leiden and wrote a thesis on suicide. In 1715 he visited London and King George I. He became a member of the Royal Society. In 1717 he became professor in physics and astronomy in Leiden and introduced the works of his friend Newton in the Netherlands. He was ardently opposed to fatalists like Hobbes and Spinoza. In 1724 Peter the Great offered him a job in Saint Petersburg but 'sGravesande did not accept. His best remembered work is Physices elementa mathematica experimentis confirmata sive introductio ad philosophiam Newtonianam or Mathematical Elements of Natural Philosophy Confirm'd by Experiments Leiden 1720 in which he laid the foundations for teaching Newtonian physics. / 'sGravesande's chief original contribution to physics involved an experiment in which brass balls are dropped with varying velocity onto a soft clay surface. This demonstrated that a ball with twice the velocity of another would leave an indentation four times as deep that three times the velocity yielded nine times the depth and so on. He shared these results with Emilie du Châtelet who subsequently corrected Newton's formula E = mv to E = mv2. / 'sGravesande was also the owner of the oldest known magic lantern which was built around 1720 by Jan van Musschenbroek and is currently housed at the Museum Booerhave in Leiden. / "From the outset of his teaching both physics and astronomy 'sGravesande modeled his lectures on the example of Newton in the Principia and Opticks although in later years they incorporated other influences especially that of Boerhaave. Moreover he adopted from Keill and Desaguliers the notion of demonstrating to his classes the experimental proof of scientific principles accumulating an ever larger collection of apparatus as may be seen from successive editions of his Physics elementa mathematica experimentis confirmata. Sive introductio ad philosophiam Newtonianam Leiden 1720 1721. The scientific reputation of 'sGravesande is enshrined in this book which he constantly corrected and amplified in later editions. An 'official' English translation prepared by Desaguliers to whom copies of the Latin original were sent in haste was also issued in 1720 and 1721 and it passed through six editions. The booksellers Mears and Woodward printed a rival version under the name of John Keill. French translations appeared only in 1746 and 1747 but a critical review by L. B. Castel was published in the Memoires de Trevoux in May and October 1721. The book was at once welcomed by British and a number of German scholars." – DSB V p. 510. References: Babson 70; Mottelay p. 181. Printed by W. Innys, T. Longman and T. Shewell, C. Hitch, and M. Senex, 1747. hardcover books
