pdf - Roger Gaskell Rare Books

Provenance: Nine word annotation on p. 252 and a few pointing Wsts
and ‘nota’ in the margins; inscription on endleaf in German signed
‘Inoford Heym’ and dated London 13­x­[19]38; inscription ‘Comprato
per dieci 1862’ on Wnal blank.
First edition. Ferguson cites a 1638 edition but I cannot locate any
copies. Duveen p. 420; Neu 2900.
‘The chief interest of this portentous publication lies in its illustrations; in
this respect, as in others, the alchemical productions of Mylius are closely
similar to those of his contemporary, Maier’ (Read, p. 261). These famous
metaphorical illustrations, ‘hiding what is manifest and revealing what is hid’
(p. 97, Thorndike’s translation) all relate to the Wrst part of the book, dealing
with the generation of the metals in the bowels of the earth, the twelve signs
of the wise philosophers, and the theory and practice of the divine art.
The plates were used again in the compilation of alchemical engravings
from various sources with new epigrams composed by Daniel Stoltzius von
Stolzenberg published by Jennisius as Viridarium Chymicum, (Frankfurt,
1624).
Thorndike VII, pp. 177–8; John Read, Prelude to Chemistry (1936), pp. 260–266;
Adam McLean, The alchemical engravings of Mylius: with the text of part four of the
Wrst book of the Philosophia Reformata of J.D. Mylius (Edinburgh, 1984).
145
NEEDHAM, Walter (1631?–1691?)
Disquisitio anatomica de formato foetu.
London: typis Gulielmi Godbid, prostantq[ue] venales apud Radulphum
Needham, ad insigne Campanae, in vico vulgo vocato Little-St.
Bartholomews, 1667.
8vo: A8 a4 B–P8 (blank O8), 124 leaves, pp. [24] 205 [19] (including
the blank).
7 engraved plates, numbered Tab. 1–7 (bound as foldouts at the end).
157 x 105mm. Title a little dustsoiled, rust hole in L7 touching a
couple of letters, a Wne fresh copy.
Binding: Contemporary blind ruled mottled calf. Spine crudely
repaired, corners worn.
Provenance: Contemporary signature ‘Rob: Powell Q.C.’.
First edition. Wing N411; ESTC R14283; Fulton, Boyle 267; Garrison–
Morton M 467.2.
‘Founding work of developmental chemical embryology, the Wrst book to
report chemical experiments on the developing mammalian embryo, and
the Wrst to give practical instructions on dissection of embryos. Needham
was also the Wrst to describe the solid bodies in the amniotic Xuid, and
to give a comparative account of the secondary apparatus of generation’
(Garrison–Morton).
Dedicated to Robert Boyle.