Details
FERMAT, Pierre de (1601-1665). Varia opera mathematica. Edited by Clment-Samuel de Fermat. Toulouse: Jean Pech, 1679.
2o (337 x 215 mm). Woodcut ornament on title, 2 engraved head-pieces, 5 engraved plates; Dd2 blank. (Occasional light foxing, some browning, marginal dampstain to last few leaves). Contemporary mottled sheep, spine gilt, red morocco lettering-piece (rebacked preserving original backstrip, corners restored). Provenance: 19th-century shelfmarks on front free endpaper.
FIRST EDITION of the majority of Fermat's mathematical work, published posthumously from his notes and collected correspondence by his eldest son. The edition contains his important researches in analytic geometry, the methods of maxima and minima, and the theory of numbers and probability, and includes his correspondence with contemporary mathematicians including Mersenne, Robertval, Pascal and Gassendi. Concurrently with Descartes, but working independently, Fermat set forth a system of analytic geometry, in which algebraic equations are used to demonstrate the theorems of classic Greek geometry. He was the first to represent a curve by an equation defining its characteristic properties. Fermat often merely recorded the results of his calculations, omitting the meticulous transcription of the classical synthetic proof. "In large part Fermat's style of exposition characterized the unfinished nature of his papers, most of them brief essays or letters to friends. He never wrote for publication. Indeed, adamantly refusing to edit his work or to publish it under his own name, Fermat thwarted several efforts by others to make his results available in print. Showing little interest in completed work, he freely sent papers to friends without keeping copies for himself... Whatever the reason, anonymity and refusal to publish robbed him of recognition for many striking achievements..." (DSB). Fermat's work remained all but unknown until the 19th century, with the revival of interest in number theory.
This copy contains Horblit's 2nd state of the title (with woodcut ornament), and his 1st state of leaves 2r and 2r (with engraved vignettes). In reality there seems to be no priority between the two states and most copies have a mixture of the two. Some copies contain an engraved portrait of the author, not present here or in the Horblit or Honeyman copies.
RARE. Dibner, Heralds of Science 108; Grolier/Horblit 30; Norman 778.
2
FIRST EDITION of the majority of Fermat's mathematical work, published posthumously from his notes and collected correspondence by his eldest son. The edition contains his important researches in analytic geometry, the methods of maxima and minima, and the theory of numbers and probability, and includes his correspondence with contemporary mathematicians including Mersenne, Robertval, Pascal and Gassendi. Concurrently with Descartes, but working independently, Fermat set forth a system of analytic geometry, in which algebraic equations are used to demonstrate the theorems of classic Greek geometry. He was the first to represent a curve by an equation defining its characteristic properties. Fermat often merely recorded the results of his calculations, omitting the meticulous transcription of the classical synthetic proof. "In large part Fermat's style of exposition characterized the unfinished nature of his papers, most of them brief essays or letters to friends. He never wrote for publication. Indeed, adamantly refusing to edit his work or to publish it under his own name, Fermat thwarted several efforts by others to make his results available in print. Showing little interest in completed work, he freely sent papers to friends without keeping copies for himself... Whatever the reason, anonymity and refusal to publish robbed him of recognition for many striking achievements..." (DSB). Fermat's work remained all but unknown until the 19th century, with the revival of interest in number theory.
This copy contains Horblit's 2nd state of the title (with woodcut ornament), and his 1st state of leaves 2r and 2r (with engraved vignettes). In reality there seems to be no priority between the two states and most copies have a mixture of the two. Some copies contain an engraved portrait of the author, not present here or in the Horblit or Honeyman copies.
RARE. Dibner, Heralds of Science 108; Grolier/Horblit 30; Norman 778.