Tracts On Vaults and Bridges Containing Observations On The Various Forms Of Vaults;On The Taking Down and Rebuilding London Bridge; And on the Principles of Arches: Illustrated by Extensive Tables of Bridges. Also Containing the Principles of Pend

3 parts in one, tall 8vo., xx + (6) + 73 + (1)pp, 14 double-page engraved plates ; (2) + 71 + (1)pp (page 43 is a folding printed table, with blank unpaginated verso), 2 folding engraved plates ; (2) + 177 + (1)pp (pages 145-6 and page 177 are folding printed tables), with an additional folding printed table paginated 35A, and 4 folding engraved plates, bound in twentieth century quarter morocco, spine titled in gilt. An unusally VG+ clean copy of this scarce work. (Allibone, 2582; Cohen, 40/41). This is a comprehensive work by Samuel Ware on the rebuilding of London Bridge and on the principles of Arches. The work is divided into three tracts with Tract One being an observation on Vaults; Tract Two Observations respecting the taking down and rebuilding of London Bridge; Tract Three The principles of pendent Bridges with reference to the properties of the Catenary, applied to The Menai Bridge. The first, on vaults, provides the text of papers read by Ware to the Society of Antiquaries of London in March 1812 and January 1817, intended to supplement Ware's book of 1809 on the same subject, and show Ware's good grasp of the principles of Gothic vault construction and his distinct lack of enthusiasm for the Greek Revival style then currently fashionable. The second, responding to John Rennie's projected design for a new London Bridge, provides technical analysis of the load bearing capacity of arches and other elements in bridge construction. The final essay is devoted to the theory of suspension bridge construction, with particular reference to Thomas Telford's Menai Bridge (Ware believed that Telford's design was unnecessarily expensive and that the bridge could be constructed more cheaply to a different design).…