Fourth edition, 5 vols., 8vo (210 x 130 mm), xv, [1], 669; viii, 687, [1]; viii, 686; viii, 710; viii, 848pp., with half-titles, 4 engraved plates, finely bound in contemporary calf, wide stained border to covers, tooled in blind with a palmette style tool and Greek-key, gilt ornaments to corners, spine with four double-raised bands, the bands and a panel at head and foot stained black and gilding over, to enhance the decorative effect, second and fourth compartment lettered in gilt direct, others tooled in gilt and blind, diagonal gilt hatching at corners of edges of boards, gold one-line on turn-ins, a very attractive set, not signed but possible a Northern provincial binder. A fine set attractively bound. "Thomson's System was the first extensive treatise on chemistry written in Great Britain... the objectives of the work was to promote the advancement of chemistry by collecting the numerous facts from their scattered sources, to incorporate the history of the development of chemistry and to give exact references to the original works in which the discoveries were reported. To make this edition up to date important additions and alterations were introduced into almost every chapter, also some new sections were added increasing the text to five volumes."?Cole. Cole, Chemical Literature, 1281.
