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Miscellaneous

[Anon.] Astronomy, in Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 5th Edition. Edinburgh: 1824. Disbound extract, pp. 9-189, 25 plates. Quarto, slight foxing to some of the plates, small damp-mark on corners of some plates. The sewing is intact for the text, but has separated from the plate block and some of the plates are loose. Very Good. $200.

A very comprehensive treatise, including an appendix covering the more technical details (e.g., calculating eclipses). The plates show the usual optical and geometrical diagrams, along with constellation maps and instruments, including orreries (by Jones, Ferguson, etc.) and astronomical instruments (e.g., telescopes, a transit, etc.). We have not been able to identify the author.

Bergson, Henri. La Pensée et le Mouvant: Essais et Conférences. Paris: Librairie Felix Alcan, 1934. First edition, 322pp., the paper somewhat age-yellowed and brittle, partly unopened. Attractively and tastefully rebound in beige quarter cloth and paper-covered boards, gilt spine label, original green paper covers (with some tears and edge wear) mounted and bound in. First Edition. Signed presentation copy: "Professor Philip Leon, with the compliments of H. Bergson." $250.

Philip Leon, the recipient of this book, was Professor of Philosophy at University College, Leicester and was heavily influenced by the Oxford Group in the 1930s. His 1938 Philosophy of Courage is still read as an important source for later Alcoholics Anonymous works.

Collins, Anthony. A Philosophical Inquiry Concerning Human Liberty. London, for R. Robinson, 1717. Small octavo, 4½" x 6½", vi + 2 [contents] + 115 pp.; complete with the supplementary errata slip pasted onto p. 115. Nine leaves of closely written notes in an old hand bound in at the beginning, relevant marginal notes in the same hand throughout (although these have been closely cropped by a previous binder, with occasional loss of a letter). In a recent speckled calf binding in period style, black gilt morocco spine label, a crisp, attractive copy. First edition. $1250.

Deist, freethinker, and philosopher, Collins (1676-1729) was a follower of Locke and an important determinist. The bound-in notes compare this edition to the 1790 edition prepared by Joseph Priestley, and the marginal notes are both relevant and interesting. Widely admired by materialists (including Voltaire), Collins was also widely condemned as "atheistic."

Davy, Sir Humphry. Researches on the Oxymuriatic Acid, its Nature and Combinations; and on the Elements of the Muriatic Acid. With some Experiments on Sulphur and Phosphorus, made in the Laboratory of the Royal Institution. Extracted from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London for the year 1830 Quarto, pp. 231-257. Stapled in a brown heavy paper cover, some foxing and browning of the edges. $400.

One of Davy's most important papers, announcing the discovery that "oxymuriatic acid gas" was not a compound, but a simple element, which he later named CHLORINE. A very important paper, in which Davy also shows that oxygen is not present in oxymuriatic acid (our "hydrochloric acid"), thus once and for all undercutting the oxygen theory of acidity. Fullmer, p. 61.

Davy, Humphry. Respirability of the Gaseous Oxyde of Azote, "Extract of a letter from Mr. H. Davy, Dated Clifton, April 17, 1799. " Single leaf, extracted from Nicholson's Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and the Arts, Vol. 3, 1799, p. 93. Slight soiling on one edge, edges uncut, Very Good

Together with:

Davy, Humphry. "Letter from Mr. Davy, Superintendant of the Pneumatic Institution, to Mr. Nicholson, on the Nitrous Oxide, or Gaseous Oxide of Azote, on certain facts relating to Heat and Light, and on the Discovery of the Decomposition of the Carbonate and Sulphate of Ammoniac. " Extracted from Nicholson's Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and the Arts, Vol. 4, 1800, pp. 515-518. Edges uncut, Very Good. For the two: $1750.

Davy's first book, Researches, Chemical and Philosophical; Chiefly concerning Nitrous Oxide (1800), has long been recognized as important in the history of science and medicine. At the time, Davy was assistant in Thomas Beddoes's Pneumatic Institution in Bristol. His inhalation experiments attracted wide attention, and began his strikingly fast rise to fame. Aside from his contribution to chemistry, Davy was the first to describe the results of inhalation of nitrous oxide ("laughing gas"), its analgesic properties, and its possible use in surgery. Although nitrous oxide was not exploited as an anesthetic until much later, Davy's book nonetheless is often regarded as a landmark of anesthesiology. These two letters constitute his first publications on the matter, preceding the book by months.

The first letter (which begins, "I have this day made a discovery") announces the respirability of nitrous oxide (Fullmer, 1799, #9) and the second provides details on the preparation of nitrous oxide and briefly outlines the forthcoming book (before turning to the other topics noted in the title). Davy notes that "A number of persons have breathed it." Oddly, the second paper is not recorded in Fullmer's otherwise very thorough bibliography. Together, these constitute a striking pair of papers, documenting the first steps of a brilliant discovery and a brilliant career!

Davy, Sir Humphrey. Six Discourses Delivered Before the Royal Society at Their Anniversary Meetings, on the Award of the Royal and Copley Medals; Preceded by an Address to the Society on the Progress and Prospects of Science. London: John Murray, 1827. First (and only) Edition. 11" x 9", xi + 148 pp. Qurater maroon leather (gilt titling), maroon cloth-covered boards (and old, but probably 20th c. binding, slightly rubbed), some light foxing throughout but still a clean, Very Good copy. $400.

Published shortly after Davy resigned his presidency of the Royal Society, this work includes seven of his presidential addresses, including his presentation of the Copley medal to Barlow and to Arago, and Davy's thoughts (upon his accession in 1820) on the current state of science. Interestingly, Davy, as President, cast the only vote against Michael Faraday, his own protege, for membership in the R.S.!

Faraday, Michael. Experimental Researches in Chemistry and Physics. London: Richard Taylor and William Francis, 1859. First Edition. Viii + 496 pp. + 3 plates [supplied in photocopy]. Green publisher's cloth, gilt spine (hinges splitting, trace of label removal on spine, endpapers browned). A clean and unmarked copy. $375.

An important collection, reprinting papers by Faraday published between 1821 and 1857. Our copy lacks the original plates, but is priced accordingly.

Hudson, Hilda P. Cremona Transformations in Plane and Space. Cambridge: At the University Press, 1927. First Edition. Blue cloth (small nick top of front board), dust jacket (slightly chipped). Large octavo, xx + 454 pp. Near-Fine. $250.

Hudson (1881-1965) is best known for this work, which develops Cremona transformations as a means of dealing with singularities of curves and surfaces. "The main bulk of her work on Cremona transformations … was notable for the reason that the methods she employed were basically elementary—largely analytical geometry—but her success in their use was the result of a powerful, almost uncanny, geometrical intuition which enabled her to extract correct answers in her own way to quite formidable problems" (J. Semple, 1969, in Bulletin of the London Mathematical Society, Vol. 1, p. 358).

Koyré, Alexandre. A Documentary History of the Problem of Fall from Kepler to Newton. De Motu Gravium Naturaliter Cadentium in Hypothesi Terrae Motae. Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society, 1955. "Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, N. S. Vol. 45, part 4." pp. 329-355, illustrated. Brown wraps, an ex-lib copy with the usual markings. $30.

Koyré (1892-1964) is well-known for his history and philosophy of science, and as an important precursor of Thomas Kuhn. The "problem of fall," detailed in this monograph, involves the question of whether a mass released above the surface of the moving earth would strike the surface to the east or to the west of its release point, and the question of whether it would in fact reach that center, if allowed to fall straight through to the center of the earth. This problem's long history is here detailed in meticulous fashion.

Lubbock, J.W. An Elementary Treatise on the Tides. London: Charles Knight & Co., 1839. First Edition. Brown wrappers (spine and edges worn, slightly soiled), vii + 54 pp. + advert. leaf + 3 fold-out plates at end, partly unopened, a Good copy. Presentation copy: "Professor Christie from the Author." Very scarce. $125.

John William Lubbock (1803-1865), a banker by profession, had an important career in London science, and was best known for his careful observational work on tides. This work centers on the mathematical theory of tidal prediction. "Professor Christie" is presumably Samuel Hunter Christie (1784-1865), professor of mathematics at the Royal Military Academy.

[Malthus, Thomas Robert]. Population, in Supplement to the Encyclopedia Britannica, 5th Edition. Edinburgh: 1824. Disbound extract, pp. 307-333. Quarto, very light age toning, a Very Good copy. $350.

Malthus's contribution to this volume (edited by Macvey Napier) presents the argument of his longer and more famous book in succinct form. Very scarce; not in Kress.

Maskell, H.P. (ed.). Photography. London: Hutchinson & Co., 1911. First Edition. 7¾" x 5¼". Colored frontis. + xvi + 438 pp., illustrated, plates (1 colored, in addition to the frontis.). Full tan calf, gilt, black morocco spine label, raised bands (light rubbing to corners and joints), marbled endpapers and edges (the edges darkened), school prize label. An attractive copy. $95.

A compilation of chapters by Maskell and other authors, dealing with all aspects of photography; cameras, developing, chemistry, optics, color printing, etc., etc. One of the plates is a genuine bromide print, while the color plates were printed using the "Tri-Colour Process."

Mayer, J(ulius) R(obert). Die Mechanik der Wärme in gesammelten Schriften. Zweite umgearbeitete und vermehrte Auflage. Stuttgart: Verlag der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1874. Second Edition (First was 1867). Contemporary half-leather, brown cloth spine (board edges and corners rubbed and worn, spine faded from the original color which was, perhaps, purple), some very light pencil notes in the first part of the book, Berlin booksellers ticket on front end paper, library discard stamp on title page (no other library markings), viii + 396 pp., Very Good. $275.

A collection of Mayer's important papers on the conservation of energy, greatly expanded from the 1867 first edition. Mayer (1814-1878) was the first to show the equivalence of mechanical work and heat, leading to Joule's experimental confirmation of the quantitative relation between the two.

Oersted, Hans Christian. The Soul in Nature, with Supplementary Contributions (Translated by Leonora and Joanna B. Horner), 1852. First Edition in English. Frontis. + xlv + 465 pp. + 32 pp. [Publisher's catalog]. Blind-stamped red cloth, gilt spine (rebacked, with most of the original spine preserved), printed endpapers, bookplate of the "Library of the Path," ink stamp to verso of frontispiece plate ["United Lodge of Theosophists, … San Francisco"], slight foxing to title page and prelims, some gatherings unopened. Very Good copy, with an interesting provenance. $225.

Oersted's discovery of electromagnetism in 1820 "electrified" science in the 1820s (pardon the pun), and led to the search for a reciprocal effect, that of magnetism producing electricity, finally achieved by Faraday in 1831. Oersted's "Naturphilosphie" lay behind his scientific research. This book collects many of his less famous writings on the relation of science to religion, philosophy, and morality, and on nonscientific topics. A useful biography precedes the essays by Oersted.

Pereira, Jonathan. A Treatise on Food and Diet: With Observations on the Dietetical Regimen suited for the Disordered States of the Digestive Organs,… New York: Fowlers & Wells, 1843. First American Edition. Dark brown blind- and gilt-stamped cloth (spine ends and corners with slight wear), xvi + 318 pp. + publisher's ads. Owner's pencil signature on flyleaf, light foxing throughout, a Good copy with good "shelf presence." $175.

An important study, the first to assemble a large body of evidence about nutrition, and with particular attention to the nutritional practices of institutions (prisons, asylums, and the like).

Robinson, William E. Spirit Slate Writing and Kindred Phenomena. New York: Munn & Co., Scientific American Office, 1898. First Edition. 7 ½" x 5 ¼", Frontis. + v + 148 pp. + [4] pp. [publisher's ads]. Red cloth, decorated in gilt and black. Some rubbing and darkening (esp. to spine), corners and spine ends lightly worn, clean internally, overall Good to Very Good. $425.

Described on the title page as "Assistant to the Late Hermann," Robinson was a stage magician who apparently died in 1918 when a "bullet trick" in which he caught a bullet in his teeth went awry. The book describes the background for a large variety of stage tricks and spiritualist hoaxes, including magic slate writing, handcuff escapes, levitation, and others. Well-illustrated!

Stark, Johann Christian. Lehrbuch der GEBURTSHUELFE zum Unterricht fuer HEBAMMEN "Mit einer lithogr. Tafel." Jena: in der Bran'schen Buchhandlung, 1837. First Edition. 8½" x 5"; xii + 292 pp. + folding plate. Mottled paper-covered boards and spine, paper title label (but unlettered) on spine, rubbed and worn at edges and corners, hinges worn (but tight). Contemporary ink notes (dated 1839) on endpapers, some foxing throughout, still a decent sound copy. $175.

Very scarce manual for midwives by Johann Christian Stark (1769-1837), with a nicely engraved lithograph folding plate (some foxing and tearing at the folds). A rare book, WorldCat listing only two copies worldwide. Not in Osler, Garrison-Morton, Norman Collection. Waller does mention two related works, nos. 9195 and 9196.

Stodart, J. & Faraday, Michael (1822). On the Alloys of Steel. Extracted from the Philosophical Transactions, "Read March 21, 1822," pp. 253 - 269. Folio, 9" x 11½", later tissued spine, edges uncut, very faint edge browning and a very few foxing spots, overall a Very Good copy. $100

While still an assistant to Humphry Davy in the laboratory of London's Royal Institution, Michael Faraday, in collaboration with James Stodart, carried out an extensive series of researches on alloys of steel with other metals; platinum, rhodium, and others. Some of the samples prepared by Faraday were rediscovered in 1931 by Robert Hadfield, the great metallurgist, and turned out to be far ahead of their time, equal to some of the high technology alloy steels developed in the 20th century.

A striking paper, rich in details of procedure and reflecting Faraday's masterful sense of experimental research. These skills had already (by 1821) led to important findings in chemistry, electricity, and magnetism and would, by 1831, lead to his great discoveries of electromagnetic induction and the principles that the underlie modern dynamo.

Swietoslawski, W. Microcalorimetry. New York: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, 1946. Yellow cloth, x + 199 pp., illus. Very Good copy. $20.

The author was "Professor in absentia of the Institute of Technology, Warsaw" and a senior Fellow at the Mellon Institute during WWII. Dedicated to "The Nation of Poland."

Venn, John. Catalogue of a Collection of Books on Logic. Presented to the Library by John Venn. University Library Bulletin (Extra Series). Cambridge: At the University Press, 1889. First Edition. Paper-covered boards, cloth spine. 125 pp. 5" x 7¼". Price mark inked out on front cover, otherwise Very Good. $60.

An extraordinary collection listing 1125 books donated by the great logician John Venn (1834-1923). Still useful as a bibliography!

Willis, Robert. A System of Apparatus for the use of Lecturers and Experimenters in Mechanical Philosophy. "With Three Plates." London: John Weale, 1851. Folio, Three plates (two folding) + 52 pp. new green cloth (paper title label on front), original printed wrappers (chipped and slightly soiled) bound in. Light foxing to the plates. Still an attractive copy. $500.

Willis (1800-1875), the Jacksonian Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy in the University of Cambridge, is best remembered for introducing the term "kinematics" into English. His Principles of Mechanism (1841) introduced engineering to his analytical methods of mechanical design. In this work, he describes a "Protean System" for teaching and experimenting, a set of interchangeable parts that can be assembled in a variety of ways to perform and/or imitate a wide