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Lot 250

NEWTON (ISAAC)
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. By John Machin, 2 vol, Benjamin Motte, 1729

11 November 2015, 13:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £18,750 inc. premium

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NEWTON (ISAAC)

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. By John Machin, 2 vol, first edition in English, engraved frontispieces by and after Motte, 47 folding engraved plates, 2 folding letterpress tables, 3 engraved head-pieces, "Laws on the Moon's Gravity" section bound in at front of volume 1, volume 1 with part of front free endpaper torn away (but present), frontispiece creased, and very thin thread of worming in blank lower margin of opening 125 pages (and on very few margins of volume 2), contemporary calf, gilt morocco spine labels, worn, upper covers detached, lower joints weakened [Babson 20; Wallis 23; cf. PMM 161], 8vo (197 x 120mm.), Benjamin Motte, 1729

Footnotes

FIRST EDITION OF THE PRINCIPIA IN ENGLISH. First published in Latin in 1687, followed by a second edition in 1713, this translation was made by Andrew Motte. He was the brother of the printer Benjamin Motte, and the author of A treatise of the mechanical powers (1727). "The Principia is generally described as the greatest work in the history of science. Copernicus, Galileo and Kepler had certainly shown the way; but where they described the phenomena they observed, Newton explained the underlying laws" (PMM).

Provenance: J. King, early ownership inscription on front free endpaper of volume one; UK private collection.

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