The First to Employ the Term 'Mineralogy'

CAESIUS, Bernardus.

Mineralogia, sive Naturalis philosophiae thesauri.

Lyon: J. & P. Prost, 1636.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. Item #001818

Mineralogia, sive Natvralis philosophiae thesauri, in qvibvs metallicae concretionis medicatorúmque fossilium miracula, terrarum pretium, colorum & pigmentorum apparatus concretorum succorum virtus lapidum atque gemmarum dignitas continentur. Lyon: J. & P. Prost, 1636. Folio (360x230 mm), [16], 626, [70] pp. Contemporary flexible vellum, title lettered in manuscript on spine. Half-title, title printed in red and black with engraved vignette, paper repairs to fore margin of first 3 leaves, not affecting text block. Woodcut initials, head and tail pieces. Library stamps on dedication page, first page, 8pp of text and 58 pp. of index (not affecting text). Stamp from "Escuela de Ingenieros" dates 1882, discharged. Old repair to the lower tip of p.115, worm tracks on pp 304-350, last 6 pages of index with unobtrusive paper repairs to lower corner, light foxing, occasional contemporary manuscript annotations in text and to title-page. Very good condition, collated complete. ----

Bibl. Dt. Mus., Libri rari 67; Roller-G. I, 219; Hoover 214; Sinkankas 1221; Thorndike VII, 254-57. - First edition, second printing, with the dedication to Charles de Neufville (see Sinkankas). Bernard Cesi (Caesius) was born in Modena of a noble family. He entered the Jesuit order in 1599. He was attached to the court of Francis I, of the House of Este, Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1610 to 1658, when he died of the plague in Modena.The "Mineralogia" is a large compilation of mineralogical knowledge, with much on paleontological specimens as then known, and also on gemstones... Apparently he is the first author to employ the term 'mineralogy'... The text, in five books, treats mineralogy in general, the earths, petrified juices (salts, organics), stones, gems, and metals (Sinkankas).

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