Huygens, Christiaan | Traité de la lumiere …, Leiden, 1690, first edition, on large paper, of the classical foundation of the wave theory of light

Huygens, Christiaan

Traité de la lumiere où sont expliquées les causes de ce qui luy arrive dans la reflexion, & dans la refraction. Et particulierement dans l'etrange refraction du cristal d'Islande. Par Monsieur Christian Huygens. … Avec un discours de la cause de la pesanteur. Leiden: Pierre vander Aa, 1690

First edition, on large paper, with the first issue of the general and sectional title leaves bearing the author's initials. The classical foundation of the wave theory of light in opposition to the corpuscular theory advanced by Newton.

The Traité de la lumiere was completed by 1678 but was left unpublished for twelve years, until Huygens had studied Newton's Principia (see lot 95). The Traité expounds Huygens's wave theory of light, and the second part, the Discours, gives an explanation of gravity different from that of Newton and developed from the ideas of Descartes. Newton noted that Huygens was alone in explaining double refraction by "Pression or Motion." Newton actually quotes Huygens's admission of his incomplete success, "Mais pour dire comment cela se fait, je n'ay rien trouvé jusqu'ici qui me satisfasse" (Optice, p. 309).

This work of Huygens appeared anonymously (or more accurately with the initials Par C.H.D.Z. on the title), and the author says in his preface that this "imperfect work" has been published in case it were lost. In fact Huygens would never have allowed anything "imperfect" to appear, and this rhetorical device hides an urge to state his wave theory of light and ensure priority. The work is published in French, a widely used language, but not one chosen by Huygens for his Horologium, for example, where Latin, the universal language and the language used by Newton a few years earlier, is used. Newton is of course discussed in this work: the Discours sur la cause de la pesanteur is an argument against Newton's theory of gravity.

The title-page in the substantial number of copies of Huygens's Traité with his name on the title-page is not a cancel. It must have been printed as part of the preliminary sheet. The large paper copies of the book are generally those with the initials only (they would have been printed early in the run), and it was one of these that Huygens gave to Newton and also to Locke.

4to (235 x 172 mm). Title in red and black, woodcut device on general and sectional title leaves, numerous woodcut diagrams in text; foxing and spotting, final quire lightly browned, three other insignificant marginal defects not affecting text. Nineteenth-century half calf over marbled boards, red speckled edges; extremities rubbed.

REFERENCES

Buffalo/Sparrow 111; Dibner, Heralds 146; Grolier/Horblit 54; Honeyman sale 4:1730; USTC 1823528; STCN 274752107

PROVENANCE

S. S. Dunham (acquired from Bernard Quaritch Ltd., London, in April 1937, Quaritch collation note and pencil acquisition note) — Herbert Reichner (1899–1971; purchased from S.S. Dunham's estate) — Robert S. Dunham (acquired from Reichner in 1945, pencil acquisition note; Sotheby's New York, 11 December 1993, lot 707)