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Two Treatises: in the One of which, the Nature of Bodies; in the Other, the Nature of Mans Soule is looked into: In way of Discovery of the Immortality of Reasonable Soules. London: Printed for Iohn Williams, and are to be sold at the Crown in S. Pauls Church-yard, MDCLXV. [1665] The volume is paginated as follows: [56], 312, 301-429, [11], 136, 139-143, [1], p. 144, [1] p. The volume collates: A8, B4 (*)4, *4, **4, ***4, A T8, V4, 2A - 2H8, 2I6, 3A - 3G8, 3H - 3L4. The Third London Edition, Fourth Edition in English. This was the last separately published treatises as the 1669 Edition would be combined with other works as a collected edition . This copy with the scarce extra preliminary quire (*)4 with caption title "To Sir Kenelme Digby upon his two incomparable treatises of philosophy" and signed "John Sergeant". Most copies only have (48) preliminary leaves. John Sergeant was acquainted with Hobbes, and was a co-conspirator with Digby and White in Blacklo s Cabal . Dedication signed "Kenelme Digby" and dated "the last of August 1644". First published by Blaizot in Paris in 1644. The second treatise: declaring the nature and operations of mans soul has separate title page on 2I2r dated 1645 and separate pagination, register is continuous. The John Huston Item 26 from his bibliography, with his bookplate #1 Wing D1451, Rubin / Huston 26 Digby s Two Treatises is a landmark work in several fields of early science. It is the first fully developed expression of Atomism or corpuscular theory; the first important defenses of Harvey on the circulation in English; a modern presentation of the nervous system predating Descartes; and a ground breaking work in embryology. It also contains the first recorded patch-test for allergy; the fullest early account on English of teaching lip-reading; and material on conditioning anticipating Pavlov. The Two Treatises was initially published at Paris (1644), while Digby and his family were in exile. Digby s name does not appear on the title of the English editions until the 1669 collected edition. His name is found on the dedication, to his son Kenelm, who was killed in the Civil War, at the battle of St. Neots in 1648, at the age of twenty-two. Rubin / Huston Pg. 12 Bound in full calf, re-backed preserving the original richly-gilt spine. Boards a bit scuffed with the corners starting. The spine in five gilt stamped compartments with four raised bands. With a contemporary red hand stamped lettering piece to the second compartment from the top. Internally the endpapers have been renewed. Outer margin of title guarded on the reverse. Browning, some soiling and foxing. 17th C faded signature of John Woodcock on title; genealogy of Henry III on verso of last leaf possibly in the same hand. The volume measures 19 x 14.7 x 4.5 cm. Each leaf measures 184 x 140 mm. Seller Inventory # ABE-1630935730600
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