THE BEGINNING OF MODERN PHYSICS A LARGE PAPER COPY
ACCADEMIA DEL CIMENTO; [MAGALOTTI, Lorenzo] Saggi di naturali esperienze fatte nell'Accademia del Cimento sotto la protezione del serenissimo principe Leopoldo di Toscana. Florence: G. Cocchini, 1666
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, Folio. (370 x 255 mm.), [xvi], 269, [17] pp.
With 75 full-page engraved plates, half-title, errata and index (pp. 255-264 misfolded). Title in red and black with engraved vignette, fine engraved portrait of the Duke of Tuscany, 4 page dedication to Duke of Tuscany, large engraved head-and tailpieces, large woodcut chapter initials. Contemporary boards, re-backed with marbled paper. Nearly imperceptible paper restoration to lower blank margin of [Di], 6 mm. repaired tear to blank margin of [T3], some occasional minor foxing; overall an excellent uncut large paper copy., FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE of the one of the most influential works in early physics and experimental science with contributions from some of the most influential scientists in Europe at the time. It included such distinguished thinkers as Viviani (the student of Galileo and Torricelli), the anatomist Borelli, the astronomer Cassini, the embryologist Redi and the mineralogist Steno amongst others, and was made famous by many of their ground-breaking instruments and experiments. Among the instruments illustrated are the Florentine thermometer and an improved barometer; among the experiments: on air-pressure, the speed of sound, radiant heat, phosphorescence, the compressibility of water and its expansion on freezing, and the discovery of the plane of oscillation of a pendulum (see no. 17), later used by Foucault to demonstrate the rotation of the Earth (Dibner).Officially founded by Grand Duke Ferdinand II, the Accademia truly owed its existence to Galileo's famous disciples Viviani and Torricelli as well as to the Duke's brother Leopoldo De'Medici, the great patron and supporter of the sciences. Founded to continue the experiments started by Galileo, it was in fact the first organized group effort at an experimental laboratory. Contrary to the French and English societies, the members of the Accademia published their work anonymously and presented them as the combined efforts of the Accademia as a whole. Lorenzo Magalotti (1637-1712), the society's secretary, compiled and edited the present work. The group only lasted a short ten years (1657-1667), and it is rumoured (by Poggendorf) that its dissolution was brought about by Prince Leopold as a condition imposed by the Pope in return for being made cardinal. Despite its short existence, it enormously influenced the development of the experimental sciences all over Europe.
$US25000
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