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1ST ENGLISH BOOK ON MECHANICS 1648 Wilkins MATH MAGICK Picture(s) and Description:
[Early Illustrated Books - English] [History of Science and Technology - XVII century - Scientific Revolution] [Mechanics] [Mathematics] [Mechanical Engineering] [Automata] Printed in London by M. F[letcher] for Samuel Gellibrand, 1648. Text in English. With over forty fascinating illustrations of mechanical devices and instruments. First Edition, the issue with the variant "B" title-page, which has "W" in "Wonders", "J" in "J.W." and a period in "Sa.". (Two issues of the 1648 first edition with the same collation and imprint are known. Cf. A.E. Lownes, PBSA 43 (1949) 195) SCARCE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST PRINTED BOOK ON MECHANICS IN ENGLISH! Wilkins' important treatise on practical mechanics which exerted a strong influence on Hooke, Newton, and other members of the Royal Society. "The first text on mechanics available in the English language. It is divided into two parts "Archimedes or Mechanical Powers" and "Daedalus or Mechanical Motions"- the latter part describing various machines, including strange devices and possibilities, such as a land vehicle powered by wind, submarines, flying automata, clocks, magnetic perpetuum mobile, etc. His sources were Guidobaldo’s Mechanicorum liber and Mersenne’s Cogitata physico-mathematica. One may see Wilkins’ work as a popular version of Mersenne’s work" (Biblioteca Mechanica, 354). Please click on thumbnails below to see larger images. The author of the book, John Wilkins (1614-1672), Bishop of Chester, was an experimental scientist and an important figure in the English scientific Renaissance. He was one of the leading governors of the Oxford University during the Cromwell period, and one of the founders of the Royal Society at London during the reign of King Charles II. The "Mathematicall magick" was written when Wilkins was the warden at Wadham College, Oxford. The work has a distinct emphasis on the practical uses of mechanical devices, with just enough theory to enable the reader to produce the devices and understand their working. Wilkins published the book for the "real benefit" of gentlemen to improve their estates, for the draining of mines and coalpits, and for "common artificers", to gain a "right understanding of the grounds and theory" of the arts they practice, as the author states in his preface. The first part offers an exposition of basis mechanical principles and deals with balance, lever, wheel, pulley, wedge and screw, all nicely illustrated with line drawings and pictures. Then follow chapters on the combination of these devices to produce "infinite strength", enough to "pull up any oak by the roots with a hair, lift it up with a straw, or blow it up with one's breath", also accompanied by charming illustrations. The second part describes and depicts a wide variety of strange devices and possibilities, such as flying machines, moving and speaking statues, artificial spiders, sound-imitation, sand yachts, including the one invented by Simon Stevin for Prince Maurits and demonstrated on the beach near Scheveningen, a submarine, the screw of Archimedes and a "perpetuum mobile". These futuristic devices and "automata" were very popular in contemporary literature, such as Mersenne's Cogitata physico-mathematico. A "speaking statue" was among the wonders shown to visitors at Wadham College, where Wilkins was the warden. And, according to the author, wonder was the impulse to serious study and experiment. John Wilkins (1614-1672) became Warden of Wadham College, Oxford in 1648. In 1656, he married Cromwell’s younger sister, and in 1659 was made Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. Although he had to relinquish that position after the Restoration, he rose rapidly in the Church of England to become Bishop of Chester in 1668. Wilkins was noted for his wide intellectual interests, his skill with the pen, his ability as an organizer, and his moderation in religion. These qualities ensured his success during a period of constant political and religious upheaval in which Wilkins proved himself zealous in defence of the universities and dextrous in negotiations about religious conformity. Both at Wadham and in London, Wilkins was instrumental in organizing gatherings of individuals with interests in the new natural philosophy. He was closely involved in the foundation and early activities of the Royal Society after 1660, and many of those he had patronized at Oxford subsequently became Fellows of that body. His own reputation was founded on a series of works published in the 1630s and 1640s which discussed discoveries made with new scientific instruments, such as the telescope, and helped to popularize new ideas, like the Copernican system in astronomy. Wilkins was an early enthusiast for the writings of Francis Bacon, and, before he moved to Oxford, had been involved with a group of natural philosophers who met in London from 1645. He had intended to establish a "Mathematico-Chymico-Mechanical School", and Samuel Hartlib expected him to be appointed president of the standing council of an Agency for the Advancement of Universal Learning which was being canvassed in the late 1640s. Bibliographic references: Bibl. Mechanica 354; DSB, pp. 361-81; Honeyman Coll. 3120; Poggendorff II, 1328; Wheeler Gift 126; Wing E2199. . Physical description: Octavo (leaves measure 160 × 105 mm). Early 20th century half-calf over cloth-covered boards. Spine ruled and lettered in gilt, tooled in blind. Pagination: [xiv], 295, [1 blank] pp. Signatures: A-T8, V4 [-A1 blank]. COMPLETE (bound without initial blank, as usual). Text printed within ruled borders. 8 engraved illustrations (mostly full-page), and numerous woodcut illustrations to text. Condition: Good antiquarian condition. Binding rubbed on edges, joints scuffed and somewhat worn, but still firm. Light browning and soiling. Minor repairs to tips of (blank) outer corners of A2 (title) and a couple of other leaves (no loss of text) . Margin of the final leaf reinforced (no loss of text). Generally rather clean, tight volume with good margines. Please click on thumbnails below to see larger images. The winner must contact us within three days, and payment is due within seven days after the end of the auction. Please be responsible and bid only if you have a serious intention to purchase the item. This book will be shipped by FedEx FREE of charge to any US location. International express shipping offered at discount cost.
