- 1340
Whiston, William
Estimate
1,000 - 1,500 GBP
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Description
- A collection of 5 tracts on longitude and meteors, bound in one volume, comprising:
- paper
WHISTON, W. A New Method for Discovering the Longitude both at Sea and Land. London: Mr. Whiston and Mrs. Ditton, 1715, second edition, 104pp.
WHISTON, W. The Longitude and Latitude Found by the Inclinatory or Dipping Needle... to which is subjoin'd, Mr. Robert Norman's New Attractive, or Account of the first invention of the dipping needle. London: J. Senex, 1721, FIRST EDITION THUS (see footnote), [iv], xxvii, 115pp., [iii pp. adverts], [ii (title to Norman's New Attractive)], iv, [ii], 44pp., 2 engraved maps, a few woodcut illustrations, Norman's work bound before Whiston's, maps shaved at foot
WHISTON, W. The Calculation of Solar Eclipses without Parallaxes... with an account of some late observations made with dipping needles, in order to discover the Longitude and Latitude at Sea. London: J. Senex, 1724, FIRST EDITION, iv, 94pp., [ii pp. errata], folding engraved plate
WHISTON, W. An Account of a surprizing Meteor, seen in the Air, March the 6th, 1715/16, at night. London: J. Senex, 1716, FIRST EDITION, ii, 78pp.
WHISTON, W. An Account of a surprizing Meteor, seen in the Air March 19. 1718/19 at night. London: Printed for W. Taylor, 1719, FIRST EDITION, 36pp., [i p. (postscript)], [ii pp. adverts]
8vo (189 x 117mm.), contemporary panelled calf, labelled of spine "Tracts on the Longitude"
WHISTON, W. The Longitude and Latitude Found by the Inclinatory or Dipping Needle... to which is subjoin'd, Mr. Robert Norman's New Attractive, or Account of the first invention of the dipping needle. London: J. Senex, 1721, FIRST EDITION THUS (see footnote), [iv], xxvii, 115pp., [iii pp. adverts], [ii (title to Norman's New Attractive)], iv, [ii], 44pp., 2 engraved maps, a few woodcut illustrations, Norman's work bound before Whiston's, maps shaved at foot
WHISTON, W. The Calculation of Solar Eclipses without Parallaxes... with an account of some late observations made with dipping needles, in order to discover the Longitude and Latitude at Sea. London: J. Senex, 1724, FIRST EDITION, iv, 94pp., [ii pp. errata], folding engraved plate
WHISTON, W. An Account of a surprizing Meteor, seen in the Air, March the 6th, 1715/16, at night. London: J. Senex, 1716, FIRST EDITION, ii, 78pp.
WHISTON, W. An Account of a surprizing Meteor, seen in the Air March 19. 1718/19 at night. London: Printed for W. Taylor, 1719, FIRST EDITION, 36pp., [i p. (postscript)], [ii pp. adverts]
8vo (189 x 117mm.), contemporary panelled calf, labelled of spine "Tracts on the Longitude"
Provenance
"Thomas Cartwright of Aynho in the county of Northampton. Esq. 1698", armorial bookplate
Literature
Houzeau & Lancaster 10404 (first edition), 10414, 12121, -, -
Catalogue Note
On May 25 1714 the House of Commons had received a petition from the Royal Navy and the Merchant Marine about the necessity of discovering the longitude for safety and commerce. A committee, which included Newton and Halley, was set up and expert witnesses called, of whom Whiston was the first. The act offering £20,000 passed two months later.
The edition of Whiston's The Longitude and Latitude found by the Inclinatory or Dipping Needle published in 1719 comprised just 32 pages, compared with the title offered here which has almost 150 pages plus an additional 50 page supplement (Norman's New Attractive).