BACON, Francis. NOVUM ORGANUM SCIENTIARUM. Recent professional re-bind in full slate blue leather, 16mo, pp. [24], 404. Contents exceptionally clean for age, with occasional pencil lines to margin, but no underlining, or other markings.

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626), Baron Verulam, statesman, essayist and philosopher, studied law and rose to high office as Lord Chancellor under James 1 in 1618. Accused of accepting bribes from litigants, he was deprived of his offices and spent the last years of his life in retirement (Printing and the Mind of Man, 119). Bacon's ambition was to create a new system of philosophy, based on a right interpretation of nature, to replace that of Aristotle. The "Novum Organum" was Bacon's magnum opus, and describes the method by which the renovation of knowledge was to be achieved. First published in 1620, this is a very early edition, published in 1650 by "LVGD. BATAV. (Lugduni Batavorum) Ex officina Adriani Wyngaerden". The title page shows an striking engraving of a ship in full sail passing through the Pillars of Hercules from the old to the new world (P&MM, 119). On the following page is an early (c. 18th century) copper-engraved bookplate of George Tollet, esq., which has overlaid the entire page and partially extended on to the next page. It is possible that this individual is the George Tollet (1725-1779) who was a Shakespearean critic, contributing notes to Johnson and Steeven's edition of Shakespeare. It is less likely, in our opinion, that it was the land owner and agricultural reformer, George Tollet (1767-1855), who was a close friend of Josiah Wedgwood. The book measures 13 cm. x 7.5 cm. The spine is divided into compartments by raised bands with gilt stamped lettering. There are new, complimentary, marbled endpapers. A most attractive copy of an important book.

Price: $500.00 U S, $ 650.00 CDN.  (#31253)