[Rarebooks] FS - Edinburgh Philosophical Journal (Babbage, Davy, Herschel, Humboldt et al)

[GREENFIELD BOOKS]

We offer six early original bound volumes of the famous publication, The 
Edinburgh Philosophical Journal (EPJ).

The EPJ first appeared in 1819 under the distinguished co-editorship of 
Sir David Brewster (1781-1868), a natural philosopher, and naturalist 
and mineralogist Robert Jameson (1774-1854). Together, they edited the 
fourteen volumes of the EPJ.  It was the most prestigious and 
influential journal of its kind, albeit for a relatively short period, 
until 1826, when Brewster left and the journal was re-named The 
Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal. Jameson carried on with this 
journal until his death in 1854.

The EPJ carried original articles, letters, and comments from some of 
the leading scientists and authorities of the day, including Charles 
Babbage, Humphry Davy, J. F. W. Herschel, Alexander Humboldt, William 
Scoresby, Robert Stevenson, and James Watt. Complete copies of the 
original EPJ are now seldom seen and, when encountered, are often broken 
apart for the articles, which are sold separately, some fetching 
handsome prices (the articles of Charles Babbage which appeared in the 
EPJ are a good example).

The copies we offer came from the library of John H. Stanger,  who was a 
factor (shopkeeper and buyer of furs) for the Hudson's Bay Company, and 
a local politician and businessman, in Manitoba in the 1870s, 1880s and 
1890s. His rubber name stamp appears at the top of the half-title page 
and title page (and nowhere else) of each volume. We recently purchased 
a substantial number of books from his library and noted that most of 
them were in the original printer's boards, most likely shipped to Mr. 
Stanger directly from England in that state. The books were in storage 
for many years after his death and the bindings generally have 
deteriorated (as they were not meant to be permanent bindings, it is not 
surprising), but the contents are, for the most part, quite clean and 
bright.

Although we have priced the volumes individually, according to the 
importance of the articles which appear therein, the collection may also 
be purchased in one lot, at a substantial saving. Terms of Sale at the end.


1.    *Dr. Brewster and Professor Jameson [David Brewster and Robert 
Jameson]. /THE EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL / 1820 / Vol. II./* Bound 
in original printer's boards. Archibald Constable and Company, 
Edinburgh. 1820. 1st edition, 8vo, pp. iv, 408. Published quarterly, 
this combined volume containing 33 articles in No. III, and 30 articles 
in No. IV, with a combined Index at end.

This volume contains 10 plates, of which two are folding, three are maps 
(one coloured), two are charts, and the rest illustrations of a 
scientific nature. Letters and articles include: "History of the origin 
of Mr. Watt's Improvements on the Steam-Engine. Contained in a Letter 
from the late James Watt." (Watt died the previous year, 1819); "On the 
Colour of the Greenland Sea", by William Scoresby; "Account of a new 
Style of Engraving on Copper in alto relievo, invented by Mr. W. Lizars" 
(in 1826 Lizars was the printer chosen to engrave the first ten plates 
of Audubon's double elephant folio edition of "Birds of America"); "On 
the Applications of a new Mode of Analysis to the Theory and Summation 
of certain extensive Classes of Series", by J. F. W. Herschel; "Account 
of Mr. Fresnel's Discoveries respecting the Inflexion of Light", 
"Account of the Seven Icebergs of Spitzbergen", by William Scoresby; 
"Description of a New Perspective Machine", by the late James Watt; "On 
the proper Method of laying down a Ship's Track on Sea Charts, with some 
Remarks on the Importance of Time-keepers in Navigation", by Captain 
Basil Hall, etc.

Front board almost detached, spine mostly gone. Binding of contents 
intact. Contents show some light foxing; else in good condition. Needs 
re-bind.

Price: $125.00.


2.    *Dr. Brewster and Professor Jameson [David Brewster and Robert 
Jameson]. /THE EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL from April 1, to October 
1, 1820 / Vol. III/*. Bound in original printer's boards. Archibald 
Constable and Company, Edinburgh. 1820. 1st edition, 8vo, pp. iv, 428. 
Published quarterly, containing 54 original letters and articles in two 
numbers (V and VI).

 This volume contains 13 plates, of which three are folding, two are 
charts, one is a plan, five are scientific in nature, and the remainder 
are various. Letters and articles include: "On Isothermal Lines, and the 
Distribution of Heat over the Globe", by Baron Alexander von Humboldt 
(in two parts, both contained within this volume); "On the bed of the 
German Ocean, or North Sea", by Robert Stevenson (with plate); "On 
Vanishing Fractions", by William Galbraith;  "Observations respecting 
the Vision of the Humble-Bee [sic] and the Honey-Bee", by Sir G. S. 
MacKenzie; "Account of some Single Microscopes upon a new construction", 
by David Brewster; "Description of the Patent Water-Pressure Engine", by 
James Dickson (with plate), "Remarks on the Comparative Number of the 
Sexes at Birth", by M. Hufeland; etc.
 
The plates are stained and foxed. Binding dilapidated, but contents 
intact. Contents show some light foxing; else in good condition. Needs 
re-bind, and priced accordingly.
     
Price: $125.00.


3.   *Dr. Brewster and Professor Jameson [David Brewster and Robert 
Jameson]. /THE EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL from October 1, 1820, to 
April 1, 1821 / Vol. IV/.* Bound in original printer's boards. Archibald 
Constable and Company, Edinburgh. 1821. 1st edition, 8vo, pp. iv,  460. 
Published quarterly, this volume containing No.'s VII and VIII.
    
This volume contains 11 plates, of which five are folding (four of these 
being maps), and seven are technical or scientific in nature. Letters 
and articles include: "On Isothermal Lines, and the Distribution of Heat 
over the Globe", by Baron Alexander von Humboldt (in two parts - both 
parts present); "Account of the Captivity of Alexander Scott, among the 
Wandering Arabs of the Great African Desert, for a period of nearly Six 
Years", by T. S. Trail and Major Rennell (in two parts - both parts 
present - with map); "Observations on the Florida or Gulf Stream"; "On 
the Respiration of Plants", by W. H. Gilby;  "Notice of the Progress of 
the Arctic Land Expedition under the command of Lieut. Franklin", 
"Notice of Captain Parry's Voyage of Discovery" (with folding chart); 
"Account of the Discoveries of M. Oersted, respecting the Connection 
between Magnetism and Galvanism, and the subsequent Researches of Sir H. 
Davy, M. Ampere and M. Biot" (with plate); "On the Antiseptic Power of 
Pyrolignous Acid upon Fresh Meat", by J. Stanley, MD; "Description of a 
Magnetimeter, being a New Instrument for Measuring Magnetic Attractions, 
and Finding the Dip of the Needle; with an Account of Experiments made 
with it", by William Scoresby (with plate); "On a New Method of 
Calculating the Parallaxes for Occultations of the Fixed Stars", by M. 
Charles Rumker; "An attempt to Analyse the Automaton Chess Player of M. 
De Kempelen" (with plate); etc.

Front board detached and spine gone. Rear board present. Plates foxed 
and stained but still useful and may be cleaned. Contents reasonably 
clean and all pages present. A good reference copy, suitable for re-binding.

Price: $125.00.


5.   *Dr. Brewster and Professor Jameson [David Brewster and Robert 
Jameson]. /THE EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL from April 1, to October 
1, 1821, Vol. V./*. Bound in original printer's boards. Archibald 
Constable and Company, Edinburgh. 1821. 1st edition, 8vo, pp. iv, 420. 
Published quarterly, this volume containing No.'s IX and X.

This volume contains 10 of 11 plates, bound-in at the end of the book. 
It lacks Plate IV. Of the plates which are present, three are maps (one 
folding), six are technical in nature (one folding), and one is a 
facsimile of  a letter from Copernicus. Plate I is damaged, lacking the 
a portion of the right fold-out. Plate VI is very creased. Plate V was 
torn (now repaired) and has a chip out of the top edge. With 56 original 
articles and letters, including: "Narrative of a Descent in the 
Diving-Bell, &c. &c." by Dr. Louis Theodore Frederick Colladon; 
"Description of Water-Spouts observed by the late Mr. Maxwell"; "Account 
of the Singular Treatment of a Queen Bee", by George Cron; "Account of a 
New Optical Instrument, which combines the properties of a Compound 
Microscope, Camera Obscura, Camera Lucida, and Diagonal Mirror", by 
Alexander Waddell; "Analysis of a Journal of a Voyage for the Discovery, 
&c. of a North-West Passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in the 
years 1819-1820", by Captain W. E. Parry, RN, FRS; "Description of 
Bridges of Suspension", by Robert Stevenson; "Narrative of a Voyage to 
Davis' Straits in 1820", by William Jameson, surgeon; "On the 
Geographical Distribution of Insects:, by M. Latreille, etc.
    
The original binding of this copy is very dilapidated and is near to 
falling apart. The title page is almost completely torn out. The 
contents are reasonably clean, and the stitching is still intact, but 
this should be considered a decent reference or re-binding copy.

Price: $100.00.


5.    *Dr. Brewster and Professor Jameson [David Brewster and Robert 
Jameson]. /THE EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL from October 1, 1821, to 
April 1, 1822 / Vol. VI./* Bound in original printer's boards. Archibald 
Constable and Company, Edinburgh. 1822. 1st edition, 8vo, pp. iv, 412. 
Published quarterly, this volume containing nos. XI and XII, which 
includes the first (and probably only) publication of an original letter 
from Charles Babbage, to Dr. Brewster, one of the co-editors.

This volume contains 11 plates, of which two are folding, and two are 
maps. Contains 54 original letters and articles, such as "Account of a 
great and extraordinary Cave in Indiana. In a Letter from Mr. Benjamin 
Adams";  "Observations of Water Spouts" by Captain Napier, RN; 
"Observations on Vision through Coloured Glasses and on the Application 
to Telescopes", by Brewster; "Remarks on the Insensibility of the Eye to 
certain Colours:, by Butter, "History of the Invention of the Pendulum 
Clock", by Christian Huygens (with plate); "Barometrical Observations 
made at the Fall of the Staubbach", by Charles Babbage and J. F. W. 
Herschel (contained within a letter dated Dec. 7, 1821, signed "C. 
Babbage", and consisting of four pages);  "Account of a Map by a Slave 
to the Heir-apparent of Ava", by Francis Hamilton (with map), etc.

This copy bound in original crude printer's boards, now quite 
dilapidated. Occasional foxing to contents, but generally they are clean 
and tight. One plate torn, now professionally repaired. A good copy, 
requiring a fresh binding and priced accordingly.

Price: $375.00.


6.    *Dr. Brewster and Professor Jameson [David Brewster and Robert 
Jameson]. /THE EDINBURGH PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL from April 1, to October 
1, 1822 / Vol. VII./* Bound in original printer's boards. Archibald 
Constable and Company, Edinburgh.1822. 1st edition, 8vo, pp. iv, 415. 
Published quarterly, this volume containing No.'s XIII and XIV, and a 
very early computing article by Charles Babbage.

This volume contains 4 plates, of which two are maps. Some of the 63 
original articles are: "New Inquiries into the Laws which are observed 
in the Distribution of Vegetable Forms", by Baron Alexander Humboldt; 
"Account of a Man who lived Ten Years after having Swallowed a number of 
Clasp-Knives", by Alexander Marcet, MD; "On Machinery for Calculating 
and Printing Mathematical Tables", by Charles Babbage, F.R.S.; "On the 
Alloys of Steel", by J. Stodart and Mr. Faraday; "Description of a New 
Reflecting Telescope", by David Brewster, etc.
     
Printers boards quite dilapidated. Former owner's name stamp to top of 
title page. Contents show light foxing and the binding is still 
reasonably tight. A suitable candidate for re-binding, and priced 
accordingly.

Price: $500.00.


Terms of sale - The prices are in US funds, and the volumes are offered 
subject to prior sale. If all six volumes are purchased in one lot, the 
total price may be reduced by 20%. Postage and packing charge is $7.50, 
which will be waived if all six volumes are purchased. Payment by check 
or credit card. Not returnable for defects in binding or soiling; but 
returnable within seven days of receipt if not otherwise as described.

 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Greenfield Books Ltd.
Member: ABAC/ILAB
217 Academy Road,
Winnipeg, MB R3M 0E3 Canada
Toll-free: 866-263-BOOK (2665)
Telephone: 204-488-2023
Web site: http://www.greenfieldbooks.com
*Secure credit card payment service available*