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The Castle of Knowledge. London: Reginald Wolfe, 1556.
Details
RECORDE, Robert (1510-1558)
The Castle of Knowledge. London: Reginald Wolfe, 1556.
Rare first edition of the earliest major English astronomical treatise, containing the first favourable reference to Copernican theory in English. This copy is preserved in a binding produced for the contemporary English physician Philip Moore (fl. 1564-1573).
Recorde's treatise on the construction and use of the sphere is based chiefly on Ptolemy, Proclus, Sacrobosco, and Oronce Fine, but is more than a synthesis of these earlier writers. ‘He devoted considerable space to a critical examination of the standard authorities, offering corrections of textual errors in the Greek authors and suggesting that the mistakes of Sacrobosco and others were caused by their lack of knowledge of Greek’ (DSB).
Little more than a decade after the publication of De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (1543), Copernicus is here said to be ‘a man of greate learninge, of muche experience, and of wonderfull diligence in observation’ who ‘hathe renewed the opinion of Aristarchus Samius, and affirmeth that the earthe not only moveth circularlye about his owne centre, but also may be, yea and is, continually out of the precise centre of the world 38 hundreth thousand miles: but bicause the understanding of that controversy dependeth of profounder knowledge then in this Introduction may be uttered conveniently, I will let it passe tyll some other time’ (qtd from the Fourth Treatise, p.165). Norman 1807; ESTC S115662.
Small folio (272 x 187mm). Woodcut title and illustrations, issue with ‘Castle’ on verso of title (occasional marginal stains or finger-soiling, a few leaves faintly spotted). Contemporary panelled calf, central gilt stamp of a plant with two leaves, two buds, and a spray of berries in an oval, flanked by initials ‘P M’, lettered ‘RECO’ in gilt and numbered ‘V’ in blind above, gilt roll to outer frame (rebacked in 1893, slightly rubbed, some loss of leather at edges, lacking ties, front endpaper detached). Provenance: Philip Moore (physician and surgeon at Halesworth in Suffolk, author of The hope of health wherin is conteined a goodlie regimente of life (London, 1564) and a series of almanacs, fl. 1564-1573); binding) – John Kennett (early inscription on title) – William Bayntun (Barrister of Gray's Inn and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, 1717-1785, his library was sold on 4 June 1787; inscription on verso of title) – Liverpool Athenaeum.
The Castle of Knowledge. London: Reginald Wolfe, 1556.
Rare first edition of the earliest major English astronomical treatise, containing the first favourable reference to Copernican theory in English. This copy is preserved in a binding produced for the contemporary English physician Philip Moore (fl. 1564-1573).
Recorde's treatise on the construction and use of the sphere is based chiefly on Ptolemy, Proclus, Sacrobosco, and Oronce Fine, but is more than a synthesis of these earlier writers. ‘He devoted considerable space to a critical examination of the standard authorities, offering corrections of textual errors in the Greek authors and suggesting that the mistakes of Sacrobosco and others were caused by their lack of knowledge of Greek’ (DSB).
Little more than a decade after the publication of De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (1543), Copernicus is here said to be ‘a man of greate learninge, of muche experience, and of wonderfull diligence in observation’ who ‘hathe renewed the opinion of Aristarchus Samius, and affirmeth that the earthe not only moveth circularlye about his owne centre, but also may be, yea and is, continually out of the precise centre of the world 38 hundreth thousand miles: but bicause the understanding of that controversy dependeth of profounder knowledge then in this Introduction may be uttered conveniently, I will let it passe tyll some other time’ (qtd from the Fourth Treatise, p.165). Norman 1807; ESTC S115662.
Small folio (272 x 187mm). Woodcut title and illustrations, issue with ‘Castle’ on verso of title (occasional marginal stains or finger-soiling, a few leaves faintly spotted). Contemporary panelled calf, central gilt stamp of a plant with two leaves, two buds, and a spray of berries in an oval, flanked by initials ‘P M’, lettered ‘RECO’ in gilt and numbered ‘V’ in blind above, gilt roll to outer frame (rebacked in 1893, slightly rubbed, some loss of leather at edges, lacking ties, front endpaper detached). Provenance: Philip Moore (physician and surgeon at Halesworth in Suffolk, author of The hope of health wherin is conteined a goodlie regimente of life (London, 1564) and a series of almanacs, fl. 1564-1573); binding) – John Kennett (early inscription on title) – William Bayntun (Barrister of Gray's Inn and Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, 1717-1785, his library was sold on 4 June 1787; inscription on verso of title) – Liverpool Athenaeum.
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