New Experiments Physico-Mechanical, Touching the Spring of the Air, and its Effects, (made, for the most part, in a New Pneumatical Engine)
Oxford: H. Hall, Printer to the University, for Tho: Robinson 1662. Three parts in one volume. [xvi], 207; [xii], 122, [2-blank]; [viii], 1-86, [2-blank], 85-98 pages. Includes final blank m4 in part 3 often lacking. Textblock is 15.5 cm x 19.5 cm (approx 17 x 20 cm in binding). Rebacked with original spine laid down and label preserved. Boards worn but soundly attached. Folding engraved plate tissue backed when rebound with matching ghosting opposite. Rear blank flyleaf tipped on. Front first and second blank flyleaves reversed when rebound (perhaps to protect the [now] second flyleaf which was slightly shorter and with chip at top [now repaired]). Marginal worming in part two, pp 73-92, 99-110. One of John Farquhar Fulton's copies with his library label (EX LIBRIS | JOHN FARQUHAR FULTON) affixed to front pastedown. In Fulton's hand is written "Hubert Catchpole" and below "May 13, 1940" with John Fulton's signature. Fulton wrote the standard Robert Boyle bibliography and had multiple copies of a number of his works. Hubert Catchpole wrote the Regnier de Graaf bibliography and thanks Fulton therein for the use of his library. This is no doubt a gift from one bibliographer to the other, and a fine association thus.
There is a second, earlier label with the printed name "John Fyshe Palmer | A. D. 17 ", possibly Thomas Fyshe Palmer (1747–1802), a English Unitarian minister, political reformer and convict who became a Unitarian after reading Joseph Priestley's works. It is worth noting that Fulton's personal library, now at Yale's Medical History Library, has been consulted about this copy. They have two other copies of this book in Fulton's Library collection and do not need a third! Very Good. Boards. [28067]
The second edition of this work first published in 1660, and very important for the first publication of Boyle's Law.
"In 1657, hearing of Otto von Guericke's invention of the air pump in Germany, Boyle set his assistants to constructing one for his use. With this, and another constructed by Robert Hooke, who was then still learning the art of scientific research, he undertood a complete, well thought out and conclusive series of experiments on the physical nature of air. He was the first to demonstratte experimentally the truth of the belief, help since the time of Aristotle, that sound is conveyed by air and is not transmitted in a vacuum. He proved that is the weight of the air which supports the column of mercury in a barometer...He demonstrated the weight of the air, its surprising elasticity, and its necessity for respiration and combustion. A the same time he showed that such properties as light and magnetism were not dependent upon the air for transmission.
All these findings, carefully and simply described, Boyle published in 1660. A second edition of New Experiments [ as here ] was soon called for, and to it he added a defence of his views against attacks by Hobbs and others. This second edition (here cited) is particularly important for what Boyle called an 'hypothesis' but what we know as 'Boyle's Law': that the volume of air in a confined space variies inversely as the pressure. He demonstrated this by much experimental detail: with experiments on rarefaction performed by others, including Hooke, and on compression performed by himself." (PMM 143, citing the Second edition as here)
PROVENANCE: Fulton gifted to Hubert Catchpole and thence by family descent.
Literature: "Printing and the Mind of Men", Second edition #143. Fulton, "A Bibliography of the Honourable Robert Boyle, Second edition" #14. Dibner, "Heralds of Science" #142. Horblit, "One Hundred Books Famous in Science" #15.
ITEM SOLD