Newton, Isaac

2 volumes, 8vo (194 x 117 mm). Engraved frontispiece after and by A. Motte in first volume, section-title to Machin's "Laws of Motion", 47 folding engraved plates, 2 folding letterpress tables, 3 engraved headpieces by Motte, numerous woodcut head and tailpieces, historiated and ornamental woodcut initials; antique calf to style. Internally fine. 

Babson 20; Gray 23; Wallis 23; see PMM 161

2 volumes, 8vo (7 5/8 x 4 5/8 in.; 194 x 117 mm). Engraved frontispiece after and by A. Motte in first volume, 47 folding engraved plates, 2 folding letterpress tables, 3 engraved headpieces by Motte, numerous woodcut head and tailpieces, historiated and ornamental woodcut initials, section-title to Machin's "Laws of Motion"; Antique calf to style. Internally fine.
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FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH OF NEWTON'S PRINCIPIA, the most important work in the history of science, "perhaps the greatest intellectual stride that it has ever been granted to any man to make" (Einstein). "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).

The first edition was published in Latin in 1687, followed by a second in 1713. This edition is by Andrew Motte, who was the brother of the publisher, and who provided the engravings for the frontispieces and three headpieces. The third book of the Mathematical Principles is actually a translation of Newton's Treatise of the System of the World; the first Latin and English publications of this work appeared the previous year. John Machin's unsuccessful attempt to correct Newton's lunar theory is included at the end.