Geometria, a Renato Des Cartes Anno 1637 Gallice edita; nunc autem cum notis Florimondi De Beaune, in curia Bloesensi consilliari regii, in linguam Latinam versa, & commentariis illustrata, opera atque studio Francisci a Schooten, Leydensis, in Academia Lugduno-Batava, Matheseos Professoris, Belgice docentis.
Lugduni Batavorum (Leiden): Ex Officina Ioannis Maire, 1649.
First separate edition and first edition in Latin of Descartes' magnum opus. Bound in early 20th century quarter leather with spine lettered in gilt. Good. Binding rubbed at extremities, with shallow loss to the crown. Front and rear inner hinge exposed, though binding is holding; binding tender at pages 3-6 and 139-142. Evidence of small label removal from front pastedown, markings and edge-tear to title page. English mathematician and astronomer Richard Towneley's (1629-1707) name to title page and his bookplate to verso of title page. Two contemporary ink notations. A work of monumental importance which influenced the thinking of Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, it was the first to propose the idea of uniting algebra and geometry, reducing geometry to a form of artimetic and algebra and transforming geometric shapes into algebraic equations. Originally published in French in 1637 as an appendix to Discours de la Methode; a separate French edition would not be published until 1664. Item #140941260
Price: $11,000.00