Mathematical Collections and Translations: The First Tome. In two parts

ASTRONOMY. Salusbury, Thomas (c.1625-c.1666); Galilei, Galileo (1564?1642); Kepler, Johannes (1571-1630)

Published by William Leybourn, London, 1661

Volume one only (in two parts). Although the title page to Part II reads ?The Second Tome, The Second Part?, this is incorrect. Volume two was not published until 1665 and most copies were destroyed in the Great Fire of London. Stillman Drake located only 8 copies of the second volume in 1999. A copy of the complete two-volume set was sold at the Earls of Macclesfield sale in 2005. With four folding engraved plates, one for each of Galileo's dialogues, and some in-text engravings and woodcuts. Bound in 18th c. paneled calf (restored and rebacked, endpapers renewed). With marginal repairs to first 3 prelims and 2 leaves of second index, ink-stamped numbering and erasures to foot of dedication; pale browning from damp-stains and scattered minor soiling, edges toned and brittle, with numerous small chips mainly to the fore-edge of the leaves.) Provenance: an early hand records on the second contents page: "The second tome was never quite printed and the Great fire comming swept away all that part that was printed saving some two or three in private hands." With a contents leaf both tome I and II are given on a preliminary leaf. Some copies also include an errata leaf following 3Z2 (not present here). Stillman Drake notes: ?The fact that nearly all copies lack the errata suggests that that interesting leaf represents a skirmish in the battle between Salusbury and his printer, William Leybourn.? The first edition of a collection of important scientific works translated into English with many of the works defending the Copernican system. This book includes the first edition in English of Galileo?s ?Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo" (?Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems?), his validation of the Copernican system and one of the milestones of modern science. This was the first edition in any language of the ?Dialogo? to be printed in England. It preceded the Latin edition published in London by Thomas Dicas by two years. It would remain the sole published English translation for almost three hundred years, until Giorgio de Santillana?s translation in 1953. The volume also includes the first appearance in English of any work by Kepler, namely, his ?Introduction upon Mars?, which is taken from the preface to his ?Astronomia Nova?(1609) - the work in which Kepler announced his epochal discovery of the first two laws of planetary motion: 1) The Law of Orbits [or Ellipses], which states that the orbits of the planets are not perfect circles but are in fact ellipses with the sun at one focus; and 2) The Law of Equal Areas, which states that a line connecting a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal amounts of time. Galileo's ?Dialogo? is followed by his important manifesto on the freedom of thought, his letter to Christina of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany (conventionally referred to as the ?Letter to Christina?). In the letter, Galileo upholds the primacy of science and argues for its freedom from theological interference; and presents his arguments in favor of heliocentrism. In addition to the works by Galileo and Kepler, Salusbury included translations of other scientific works defending the Copernican system, including Paolo Antonio Foscarini?s ?Letter concerning the Opinion of the Pythagoreans and Copernicus about the Mobility of the Earth and Stability of the Sun", pp. 659-704 (see below). The second part of the work contains a number of hydrological works by Benedetto Castelli, Galileo?s friend and protégé, including Castelli?s letter to Galileo on hydrology and his "Of the mensuration of running waters" (Della misura dell'acque correnti). Please see below. The translator, Thomas Salusbury, was probably educated at Trinity College. He ?lived abroad for a time, chiefly in Italy and France between the years 1645 and 1654, He learned both languages well, acquired a good knowledge of Italian literature and became acquainted with some followers of Galileo's new science.?(Stillman Drake) Galileo?s ?Di. Seller Inventory # 5427

Bibliographic Details

Title: Mathematical Collections and Translations: ...
Publisher: William Leybourn, London
Publication Date: 1661
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: Fine
Signed: Signed