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London:: John Nicholson, and Sold by John Morphew, 1712. [Vols. IV-V]: Oxford: Printed by L. Lichfield for John Nicholson. . ., and Sold by John Morphew, 1712., 1712. 5 volumes [complete]. 8vo. (6), x, (4), 1-80, 1-288; (24),1-92, 1-156, 1-72, (8); (16), 1-215, (1), 1-131, (1), (10); (32), 1-185, (7), (14), 1-204, (8); (16), 1-166, (18), (292) pp. "Nearly 200" engraved plates, extensive tables, subscriber's list. Original blind-stamped speckled calf, modern maroon leather gilt-stamped spine labels; joints cracked, volume 1 corner bumped. Ownership gilt-stamps at foot of spine: "FFF" with a floating leg and spur above. Very good. First English edition. Ozanam was a self-taught French mathematician, better known for his writing than for any major discoveries (though he did effect significant improvements on existing logarithmic tables). Nearly the entire first volume is devoted to Euclid's Elements. The work also contains: trigonometry, calculating tables, geometry, geodesy, fortification, mechanics (simple & compound engines), statics, hydrostatics, perspective, geography and dialing. The English edition of the Cursus Mathematicus also contains contributions from the English mathematician J. T. Desaguliers: "In 1712 Desaguliers was also working on Ozanam's Cursus mathematicus. This was a complete course in mathematics in five-volumes, originally in French, and which was 'done into English [. . .] by several hands' for John Nicholson, and again printed by L. Lichfield and sold by John Morphew. Volumes 4 and 5, which treated respectively 'Mechanicks and Perspective' and 'Geography and Dialling,' were specifically said to be translated and 'amended in several places, by J. T. Desaguliers.' [. . .] During his last years in Oxford, Desaguliers was clearly busy not only translating many hundreds of pages of Ozanam's works, but also amending, and even correcting, the French mathematician's works. In the eighteenth century a translator had perhaps more freedom than would be condone today to put his individual mark on the translated text." ΓΆΒ Β" Audrey T. Carpenter, John Theophilus Desaguliers, pp. 114-115. Volumes: I. Contains a short Treatise of Algebra, and the Elements of Euclid; II. Arithmetic and Trigonometry, with correct Tables of Logarithms, Sines and Tangents; III. Geometry and Fortification; IV. Mechanics, and Perspective; V. Geography and Dialling. Seller Inventory # RRW1591
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