Bacon, Francis

The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Advancement of Learning, divine and humane. London: [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, 1605



4to (7 x 5 in.; 178 x 127 mm). Without the 2 added leaves of errata at end present in some copies ("not often found" according to Gibson) and terminal blank leaf Hhh2, small worm trail in bottom margin of quires Dd–Ff, some light text browning at the end. Late eighteenth century half calf over marbled boards, the spine in 5 compartments, red morocco lettering piece, edges sprinkled red; minor losses to head of spine. Quarter calf folding case.

Contemporary ownership inscription on title-page (partially effaced) — Row'd Wetherald (inscription below title, possibly another in upper corner) — Horatio Carlyon (signature on front pastedown dated October 1861) — Albert Parsons Sachs (bookplate) — Michael Sharpe (leather library ticket)

Gibson 81; Grolier/Horblit 8a; Norman 97; Pforzheimer 36; STC 1164

First edition of the "preparative or key for the opening of the instauration" (Grolier/Horblit). "In the Twoo bookes, Bacon concerned himself primarily with the classification of philosophy and the sciences and with developing his influential view of the relation between science and theology" (Norman). It is the only work Bacon published in English.