Isaac Newton | The mathematical principles of natural philosophy..., London, 1729, first edition in English, 2 volumes, contemporary calf

Isaac Newton

The mathematical principles of natural philosophy, translated into English by Andrew Motte. To which are added, the laws of the Moon's motion, according to gravity. London: printed for Benjamin Motte, 1729

FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH, 2 volumes, 8vo (195 x 120 mm), engraved frontispiece in each volume, section-title to Machin's Laws of motion, 47 engraved folding plates (numbered 1-25 and 1-19, plus 3 unnumbered plates at rear of volume 2), 2 folding letterpress tables, 3 engraved headpieces, numerous woodcut head- and tailpieces, historiated and ornamental woodcut initials, errata for both volumes at end of vol.1, contemporary calf gilt, tan morocco lettering pieces, first 6 leaves of first volume with repaired small wormhole to upper margin, unobtrusive marginal repairs to last 2 appendix leaves of first volume and final appendix leaf of second volume, joints and corners expertly repaired

FIRST ENGLISH-LANGUAGE EDITION OF THE GREATEST WORK IN THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE, "PERHAPS THE GREATEST INTELLECTUAL STRIDE THAT IT HAS EVER BEEN GRANTED TO ANY MAN TO MAKE" (EINSTEIN), WITH EARLY PROVENANCE.

"Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler had certainly shown the way; but where they described the phenomena they observed, Newton explained the underlying laws" (Printing and the Mind of Man). The first edition of the Principia was published in Latin in 1687, followed by a second in 1713. This edition is translated by Andrew Motte, the brother of the publisher, who also provided the engravings for the frontispieces and headpieces. John Machin's unsuccessful attempt to correct Newton's lunar theory is included at the end of the first volume.

Intriguingly, the present copy has three mid-eighteenth-century ownership inscriptions in the same hand (vol.1: "ex libris Gulielmi Hanbury" on front free endpaper; vol. 2: "ex pretiosis Gulielmi Hanbury" on front free endpaper and "Wm. Hanbury 1744" on title-page). The owner in question is most plausibly the antiquarian William Hanbury of Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire (1704-1768), who was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1728.

PROVENANCE:

Ownership inscriptions of William Hanbury (one dating from 1744); twentieth-century ownership inscriptions of "Lt. Col. Crosse | Chester" to titles

LITERATURE:

Wallis 23