Milestones of Science Books

KEILL, John.

Introductio Ad Veram Astronomiam seu Lectiones Astronomicae Habitae in Schola Astronomica Acadamiae.

Oxford: Hen. Clements, 1718.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #003457

8vo (205 x 124 mm). [8], xv [1], 495 [1] pp., engraved title vignette, dedication and preface, 2 folding engraved plates of the moon by M. Burghers, woodcut diagrams in text, several full-page. Contemporary calf, spine with gilt lettered morocco label and rich gilt decoration, sprinkled edges, marbled pastedowns, lower edge partly uncut (boards heavily scratched, joints at spine ends wormed and partly cracked, extremities worn). Text somewhat browned troughout, occasional minor foxing. Provenance: Speyer & Peters, Buchhandlung (sticker to front pastedown). Very good copy in untouched binding. ----

DSB VII, 275-76; Houzeau & Lancaster 9244; Roller-Goodman II, 28; Wallis 103.17; Whitaker, p.89; Brown, Astronomical Atlases 195. FIRST EDITION of Keill's lectures as Savillian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford. "His work was later translated into English at the request of the Duchess of Chandos. Partly because of its skillful popularization and spirited defense of Newton in his priority dispute with Leibnitz, the English version was reprinted several times during the eighteenth century, well after Keill's own death in 1721. It appears to have been a standard reference for students and educated lay people as late as 1750 and was translated into several European languages, including French, German, and Dutch . . . Keill's book contained a simplified version of Hevelius' map P (with the Riccioli/Grimaldi nomenclature imposed upon it). Keill added to it a new name, Flamsteedius, located in the southwest quadrant. This was apparently done while John Flamsteed . . . was still alive." (Scott L. Montgomery, The Moon & the Western Imagination, p. 206). - Visit our website to see more images!

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