Highly appreciated by Newton

BRIGGS, William.

Nova visionis theoria. Regiae societati Londin. proposita. Editio altera.

London: Samuel Simpson, 1685.

1st Edition. Soft cover. Very Good. Item #003450

8vo (158 x 92 mm). [16], 80 pp. Title with double rule-border, folding engraved plate bound after p.32 depicting an anatomical diagram of the eye, errata on final prelim. page. Signatures: A-F⁸. Contemporary plain limp vellum, original pastedown and rear flyleaf (lacking front flyleaf, minor spotting of vellum). Text and plate only little browned, occasional very minor spotting, small wormtracks to lower blank gutter of gatherings D-F, plate slightly creased and with short tear at fore-margin, ink scribbles to blank verso of title and rear flyleaf, pale dampstaining to fore-margin of title. Very good copy in untouched original binding. ----

Wing, B4667; ESTC R34375. RARE FIRST LATIN EDITION. A work appreciated by Newton who recommended its publication and also used it to develop his optical system. Newton's letter praising Briggs' propositions is printed on 4 preliminary pages.
The contained two treatises were previously published in English. The first (Nova visionis theoria, p. 1-34) was expounded before the Royal Society in 1681 and printed in the Philosophical collections edited by Robert Hooke, no. 6, 1682. The second (Continuatio theoriae praecedentis, p. 35-80) was printed in the Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society, no. 146, 1683. - Visit our website to see more images!

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