NEWTON, Isaac. Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, edited by Henry Pemberton, London: William and John Innys, 1726, 4°, third edition, title in red and black, engraved frontispiece portrait, engraved illustration of comet's trajectory on p. 506, woodcut diagrams, with Royal Privilege on verso of first leaf, half title, advertisement leaf at end (privilege leaf, half title and title waterstained, further large waterstains up to gathering C, title and dedication partly detached, light ink spots to quires D and E, small tear through marginal headings on 3T3, some light marginal spotting), contemporary calf (spine cracked and very rubbed, joints split but cords holding, corners worn), red sprinkled edges. [Babson 1726; Brunet IV, 49: "Edition la plus estimée de cet ouvrage immortel"]

Details

NEWTON, Isaac. Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, edited by Henry Pemberton, London: William and John Innys, 1726, 4°, third edition, title in red and black, engraved frontispiece portrait, engraved illustration of comet's trajectory on p. 506, woodcut diagrams, with Royal Privilege on verso of first leaf, half title, advertisement leaf at end (privilege leaf, half title and title waterstained, further large waterstains up to gathering C, title and dedication partly detached, light ink spots to quires D and E, small tear through marginal headings on 3T3, some light marginal spotting), contemporary calf (spine cracked and very rubbed, joints split but cords holding, corners worn), red sprinkled edges. [Babson 1726; Brunet IV, 49: "Edition la plus estimée de cet ouvrage immortel"]

Lot Essay

The last edition published in Newton's lifetime, and the basis of all subsequent editions, with a new preface by Newton, and a large number of amendments, one of which was to the scholium on fluxions in which Leibnitz had previously been mentioned by name. "This had been considered an acknowledgment of Leibnitz's independent discovery of the calculus. In omitting Leibnitz's name in this edition, Newton was criticised as taking advantage of an opponent whose death had prevented any reply" (Babson).

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