Milestones of Science Books

BOYLE, Robert.

Short memoirs for the natural experimental history of mineral waters. Addressed by way of letter to a friend.

London: Samuel Smith, 1685.

1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #003774

1684/85 [i.e. 1685]. 8vo (159 x 98 mm). [18], 112, [16] pp. Typographic headpiece to first page of text, 11 pp. of publisher's advertisements bound at the end. Signatures: A⁸ B² C-K⁸ (-B2, H3 unsigned), bound without blank leaf B2. Contemporary full calf, flat spine with gilt-lettered morocco label, boards with blind-tooling; original endpapers, red-dyed edges (rebacked preserving most of original spine, inner hinges reinforced). Text with even light browning throughout, occasional minor spotting, title-page dust-soiled and with small patch of sticking paper from flyleaf at upper left corner. Provenance: Richard Jones (inscribed on title). A very good copy, quite crisp internally. ----

RARE FIRST EDITION of Boyle's treatise on the physical and chemical properties of natural mineral waters. "This is one of Boyle's unfinished 'pieces', put forth with the usual burst of apology on the part of all concerned. It is of special interest because of the insight it gives into the author's methods of work. The tract consists mainly of a series of 'Titles' for a proposed extended treatise on the 'Natural History of Mineral Waters' (pp. 17-31), followed by comments on a few of the titles which he had had time to investigate. On looking into a new subject, Boyle apparently set down methodically the various aspects of the question which he wished to consider, then 'at odd times and on various occasions', expanded his notes. The same method of presentation and exposition is evident in his 'Human Blood ([Fulton] No. 146) and in several of the posthumous publications. Boyle proposed to study all of the physical and chemical properties of the various mineral waters, even including such properties as viscosity. Taste, smell, acidity, &c. were of course considered, and the book ends with a discourse on the 'medicinal virtues' of the various waters. [...] The Bookseller's 'Advertisement' at the end is interesting since it gives prices" (Fulton). References: J.F. Fulton, A bibliography of The Honorable Robert Boyle, 159; Wing B4023; Partington II, 534; not in Duveen. - Visit our website to see more images!

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