Instruments

1757 · 55793 — London: Printed for T. Heath and J. Nourse in the Strand: J. Hodges on London-Bridge and J. Fuller in Ave-mary-Lane 1757. 8vo. xx 188 pp. With 1 large folding copper-engraved frontisp. of mathematical instruments 8 copper engraved plates occasional minor closed tears creasing to the fore-edges of the plates couple of the joints starting in the folds. Nineteenth-century half-calf over marbled boards marbled endpapers hinges repaired minor thumbing and darkening to some leaves otherwise a VG copy. Second edition of this well-written mathematics instrument manual incorporating a short history of 44 previous works on mathematical instruments spanning 200 years with specific descriptions of particular instruments and their development. This work which is considered by Erwin Tomash to be “one of the most complete descriptions of a set of portable mathematical instruments extant†was expanded by over a third to detail the use of Gunners Calipers or a Gunter’s scale for navigation purposes into a type of slide rule which were made and sold by Nairne & Blunt in London. Robertson 1716-1776 who is perhaps best remembered for his Elements of Navigation considered one of the finest English-language navigation education manuals of the 18th century Tomash & Williams R100; Cajori A History of the Logarithmic Slide Rule and Allied Instruments pp. 32-33; See: Ellerton & Clements Samuel Pepys Isaac Newton James Hodgson and the Beginnings of Secondary School Mathematics: A History of the Royal Mathematical School within Christ’s Hospital London 1673-1868 2017 pp. 50-52 110 146 218. Printed for T. Heath and J. Nourse in the Strand: J. Hodges on London-Bridge, and J. Fuller in Ave-mary-Lane, hardcover