Thomas Sprat: 'The History of the Royal Society of London, f...

Estimate

£500 - £750

Thomas Sprat: 'The History of the Royal Society of London, for the Improving of Natural Knowledge.', London, printed by T[homas] R[oycroft] for J. Martyn ... and J. Allestry, printers to the Royal Society, 1667, 1st edition, without the rare engraved Hollar frontispiece, but with the "of" repetition on p.85, lines 6-7, engraved arms of the Royal Society on the verso of the licence/imprimatur leaf (A1) + 2 engraved folding plates. Much more than simply a history of the Royal Society, Sprat's History places the founding of the society in its historical setting, includes edited versions of fourteen original papers by Hooke, Petty, and others, and embodies the experimental principles of Francis Bacon on which the society was based. The History is divided into three parts. The first part offers an extended critique of various approaches to natural philosophy from ancient times to the current day. The second part of the History provides an explanation of the origins of the Royal Society, its experimental method, and its purposes. Part three responds to particular social, cultural, and religious objections to experimental philosophy, and predicts future political and economic leadership for England based on the society's contributions (ODNB). [xvi], 438pp + [1]pp errata, to, contemporary calf, rebacked retaining backstrip (E) £250-400