MATHEMATICAL ELEMENTS OF NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, CONFIRMED BY EXPERIMENTS: OR AN INTRODUCTION TO SIR ISAAC NEWTON'S PHILOSOPHY
Book Details + Condition: Printed For W. Innys, T. Longman and T. Shewell, C. Hitch (London). Sixth Edition, 1747. Two-volume complete hardcover set. Vintage fine re-binding job, with three-quarters leather and marbled boards and endpapers. Pagination: 475pp; 389pp with Index. Illustrated with 127 copper plate engravings (all present). The two-volume set is the English translation of Sir Isaac Newton's "Physices Elementa Mathematica, Experimentis Confirmata", which was translated into the Latin by W. James s'Gravesande, published in 1720, and translated into English by J.T. Desaguliers the same year. In the work, s'Gravesande laid the foundations for the teaching of Newtonian mechanics through experimental demonstrations, thus helping to prove many of Newton's theories. This sixth edition is considered one of the most comprehensive, as s'Gravesande expounded upon the content ('greatly improved by the author'). Sir Isaac Newton's religious beliefs and writings were highly critical of the Church and its doctrines, and he was considered a heretic by the Anglican Church, for not believing in the trinity and for rejecting the belief in an immortal soul. Please see below for more information on Willem Jacobs Gravesande and John Theophilus Desaguliers.
For Volume I: Firm binding; old water damage to pages, beginning with p 335 to the end, which results in some page warping and old water staining. Beginning on p 335, towards the top of the middle binding, are old blackened stains. These continue to the end, becoming larger. APPEARS to be an old burn marking, which explains perhaps the simultaneous water damage. Small section of upper left corner shows this burn damage. (See pictures.)
For Volume II: Firm binding; small torn chip to top left of title page, where someone removed another name; inserted in script their own name to title. Single worm hole damage from pp 129-381. From pages 382 through to the Index, there is more extensive worm damage. (See picture for worst of the damage.)
"Willem Jacobs Gravesande (26 September 1688 – 28 February 1742) was a Dutch mathematician and natural philosopher, chiefly remembered for developing experimental demonstrations of the laws of classical mechanics and the first experimental measurement of kinetic energy. As professor of mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy at Leiden University, he helped to propagate Isaac Newton's ideas in Continental Europe. Gravesande's main scientific work is Physices elementa mathematica, experimentis confirmata, sive introductio ad philosophiam Newtonianam ("Mathematical Elements of Natural Philosophy, Confirmed by Experiments; or, an Introduction to Newtonian Philosophy"), published in Leiden in 1720. In that book, he laid the foundations for the teaching of Newtonian mechanics through experimental demonstrations." [Wikipedia]
"John Theophilus Desaguliers FRS (12 March 1683 – 29 February 1744) was a French-born British natural philosopher, clergyman, engineer and freemason who was elected to the Royal Society in 1714 as experimental assistant to Sir Isaac Newton. He had studied at Oxford and later popularized Newtonian theories and their practical applications in public lectures." [Wikipedia]
