![DESCARTES, René (1596-1650). Principia philosophiae. [Bound with:] Specimina philosophiae: seu dissertatio de methodo ... dioptrice, et meteora. Translated into Latin from French by Estienne de Courcelles. Amsterdam: Louis Elzevir, 1644. 2 works in one volume, 4° (193 x 153mm). Printer's woodcut device on titles, numerous woodcut illustrations and diagrams, some full-page. (Occasional pale dampstaining and light soiling, few small stains.) Contemporary vellum, modern cloth box (some chipping and soiling). Provenance: unidentified early annotations throughout and diagram on endpaper -- Franz Sondheimer (booklabel).](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2014/CSK/2014_CSK_10266_0079_000(descartes_rene_principia_philosophiae_bound_with_specimina_philosophia093848).jpg?w=1)
Details
DESCARTES, René (1596-1650). Principia philosophiae. [Bound with:] Specimina philosophiae: seu dissertatio de methodo ... dioptrice, et meteora. Translated into Latin from French by Estienne de Courcelles. Amsterdam: Louis Elzevir, 1644. 2 works in one volume, 4° (193 x 153mm). Printer's woodcut device on titles, numerous woodcut illustrations and diagrams, some full-page. (Occasional pale dampstaining and light soiling, few small stains.) Contemporary vellum, modern cloth box (some chipping and soiling). Provenance: unidentified early annotations throughout and diagram on endpaper -- Franz Sondheimer (booklabel).
FIRST EDITION OF DESCARTES' SYSTEM OF PHYSICS and first Latin edition of the Discours. In the first work Descartes developed his theory of vortices. Based in part on his then unpublished work Le monde, which treated the creation and function of the universe in completely mechanistic terms, the Principia philosophiae provides a systematic statement of his metaphysics and natural philosophy. Descartes' system represents a truly comprehensive look at the universe in a fundamentally new, mechanistic and non-teleological way. His vortex theory was the starting point for all serious work in physical theory in the mid-17th century, including Newton. Descartes' famous dictum 'cogito, ergo sum' appear for the first time in the Discours, although the treatise Geometri is omitted. Although separate works, these two Elzevir publications often appear together. Guibert, p. 104 and 118; NLM/Krivatsy 3116; Tchemerzine II, pp. 777-787; Willems 1008; Norman 622 and 623.
FIRST EDITION OF DESCARTES' SYSTEM OF PHYSICS and first Latin edition of the Discours. In the first work Descartes developed his theory of vortices. Based in part on his then unpublished work Le monde, which treated the creation and function of the universe in completely mechanistic terms, the Principia philosophiae provides a systematic statement of his metaphysics and natural philosophy. Descartes' system represents a truly comprehensive look at the universe in a fundamentally new, mechanistic and non-teleological way. His vortex theory was the starting point for all serious work in physical theory in the mid-17th century, including Newton. Descartes' famous dictum 'cogito, ergo sum' appear for the first time in the Discours, although the treatise Geometri is omitted. Although separate works, these two Elzevir publications often appear together. Guibert, p. 104 and 118; NLM/Krivatsy 3116; Tchemerzine II, pp. 777-787; Willems 1008; Norman 622 and 623.
Special notice
No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.