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BABBAGE, Charles (1792-1871). On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures. London: R. Clay for Charles Knight, 1832.
LARGE PAPER COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION OF BABBAGE'S MOST IMPORTANT PUBLICATION. PRESENTATION COPY TO SIR ROBERT PEEL. 8o (213 x 133 mm). Engraved title page by J. Bate. (Title leaf and A1 slightly foxed.) Contemporary half sheep, marbled sides, morocco lettering piece (spine worn, faded and chipped, joints starting).
Provenance: SIR ROBERT PEEL (1788-1850), British Home Secretary 1822-27 and 1828-30, Prime Minister 1834-35 and 1841-46 (author's presentation inscription, bookplate).
A REMARKABLE ASSOCIATION COPY. IN THE COURSE OF HIS WORK ON A DIFFERENCE ENGINE, OR CALCULATING MACHINE, BABBAGE ENGAGED IN AN EXTENSIVE STUDY OF INDUSTRY IN BRITAIN AND ON THE CONTINENT. AFTER TOURING FACTORIES, EXAMINING MACHINES AND ANALYZING INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES, HE WROTE THIS BOOK, WHICH IS "AT ONCE A HYMN TO THE MACHINE, AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MACHINE-BASED PRODUCTION IN THE FACTORY, AND A DISCUSSION OF SOCIAL RELATIONS IN INDUSTRY" (A. HYMAN, CHARLES BABBAGE, PRINCETON 1982, P. 103). THE FIRST PART OF THE WORK IS CONCERNED WITH THE PHYSICAL PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURE, AND THE SECOND, LONGER PART TREATS THE ORGANIZATION OF INDUSTRY, ASPECTS OF COMMERCE, WHAT IS NOW CALLED SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT, AND THE APPLICATION OF SCIENCE TO INDUSTRY. WITH THE PUBLICATION OF ON THE ECONOMY OF MACHINERY AND MANUFACTURES, BABBAGE ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS AN EXPERT IN POLITICAL ECONOMY. THE WORK INFLUENCED BOTH JOHN STUART MILL AND KARL MARX.
SIR ROBERT PEEL, AS HOME SCCRETARY IN 1822, HAD DISMISSED BABBAGE'S PROPOSAL FOR A DIFFERENCE ENGINE, AND SOME TWENTY YEARS LATER, WHEN HE WAS PRIME MINISTER, HE CUT OFF GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT. PEEL EXERCISED GREAT POLITICAL INFLUENCE THROUGHOUT THE 1830S, AND BABBAGE MUST HAVE PRESENTED THIS COPY OF ON THE ECONOMY OF MACHINERY AND MANUFACTURES IN AN EFFORT TO WIN HIM OVER. EINAUDI 224; GOLDSMITH 27346; KRESS C.3013; NORMAN 92.
LARGE PAPER COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION OF BABBAGE'S MOST IMPORTANT PUBLICATION. PRESENTATION COPY TO SIR ROBERT PEEL. 8o (213 x 133 mm). Engraved title page by J. Bate. (Title leaf and A1 slightly foxed.) Contemporary half sheep, marbled sides, morocco lettering piece (spine worn, faded and chipped, joints starting).
Provenance: SIR ROBERT PEEL (1788-1850), British Home Secretary 1822-27 and 1828-30, Prime Minister 1834-35 and 1841-46 (author's presentation inscription, bookplate).
A REMARKABLE ASSOCIATION COPY. IN THE COURSE OF HIS WORK ON A DIFFERENCE ENGINE, OR CALCULATING MACHINE, BABBAGE ENGAGED IN AN EXTENSIVE STUDY OF INDUSTRY IN BRITAIN AND ON THE CONTINENT. AFTER TOURING FACTORIES, EXAMINING MACHINES AND ANALYZING INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES, HE WROTE THIS BOOK, WHICH IS "AT ONCE A HYMN TO THE MACHINE, AN ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MACHINE-BASED PRODUCTION IN THE FACTORY, AND A DISCUSSION OF SOCIAL RELATIONS IN INDUSTRY" (A. HYMAN, CHARLES BABBAGE, PRINCETON 1982, P. 103). THE FIRST PART OF THE WORK IS CONCERNED WITH THE PHYSICAL PROCESSES OF MANUFACTURE, AND THE SECOND, LONGER PART TREATS THE ORGANIZATION OF INDUSTRY, ASPECTS OF COMMERCE, WHAT IS NOW CALLED SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT, AND THE APPLICATION OF SCIENCE TO INDUSTRY. WITH THE PUBLICATION OF ON THE ECONOMY OF MACHINERY AND MANUFACTURES, BABBAGE ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS AN EXPERT IN POLITICAL ECONOMY. THE WORK INFLUENCED BOTH JOHN STUART MILL AND KARL MARX.
SIR ROBERT PEEL, AS HOME SCCRETARY IN 1822, HAD DISMISSED BABBAGE'S PROPOSAL FOR A DIFFERENCE ENGINE, AND SOME TWENTY YEARS LATER, WHEN HE WAS PRIME MINISTER, HE CUT OFF GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT. PEEL EXERCISED GREAT POLITICAL INFLUENCE THROUGHOUT THE 1830S, AND BABBAGE MUST HAVE PRESENTED THIS COPY OF ON THE ECONOMY OF MACHINERY AND MANUFACTURES IN AN EFFORT TO WIN HIM OVER. EINAUDI 224; GOLDSMITH 27346; KRESS C.3013; NORMAN 92.