An Elementary Treatise on Mechanics designed for the Use of Students in the University ... The Fourth Edition with improvements and additions
Cambridge: J & J.J. Deighton 1833. xviii, [1]-280 pages plus 9 folding plates. Early 1/4 leather over rubbed marbled boards. Spine label chipped at the extremities. Spine nicely blind stamped with delicate raised bands. Shelfworn, with worn corners and joints. Misfolds and some spotting to the rear folding plates. Withall a sound copy. Book ticket of bibliophile Dr. Sydney Ross on the front pastedown. Additional previous owners names (W. Ellis and Harvey Fielding Reid) on front flyleaf. 1/2 inch loss to top of title page (marginal with no loss of text). A few marginal notations in an unknown hand. Good. Boards. [13845]
Previous owner "Sydney Ross, leading chemist and bibliophile, was a former Professor of Colloid Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, and founder, and until his death, and president of the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation...From early in life Ross had developed a deep interest in the history of science, a notable publication being Nineteenth-Century Attitudes: Men of Science (Kluwer, 1991). This comprised erudite essays on the word “scientist”, Volta potential, electro-magnetic induction, electro-chemistry, and work of Faraday and Herschel. Using their example, also that of Babbage, Davy, Dalton, Darwin, Cavendish, Leslie, Whewell, Maxwell and others, Ross added knowledge and provided a masterly demonstration of the transition to professionalism in science....Another history publication in 2001, one that evoked an inspiring lecture to the Edinburgh Bibliographical Society, was his 590-page annotated Catalogue of the Herschel Library of astronomers William and John Herschel, many of the books which he had bought at auction in 1958....Ross’s main interest latterly was in promoting the life and work of James Clerk Maxwell and in 1977 he became founder chairman of the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation which in 1987 acquired and developed Maxwell’s birthplace at 14 India Street, Edinburgh, as a mathematical study centre." (obituary in the Scotsman, 21st Feb 2014)
Previous owner Harvey Fielding Reid is probably the well respected American geophysicst. There is a thorough Wikipedia entry on him.
REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING:
Herschel, Isabella, Ross, Sydney (editor). "The catalogue of the Herschel Library : being a catalogue of the books owned by Sir William Herschel, Kt. and by his son Sir John F.W. Herschel, Bart." Troy, NY : Printed for the editor, 2001
Price: $325.00