On a Periscopic Camera Obscura and Microscope. Read June 11, 1812.

London, W. Bulmer and Co., 1812. 4to. No wrappers as extracted from "Philosophical Transactions" 1812. With titlepage to the year 1812 - Part I. Pp. 370-377. Light yellowing to titlepage. First appearance of the paper in which Wollaston explains his invention and function of photography's first lens, the Wollaston Meniscus, invented more than 25 years before the first photography appeared."Wollaston developed the first lens specifically for camera lens called Wollaston's meniscus lens, or just meniscus lens, in 1812. The lens was designed to improve the image projected by the camera obscura. By changing the shape of the lens, Wollaston was able to project a flatter image, eliminating much of the distortion that was a problem with many of that day's biconvex lenses" (DSB).