Lot 45
Moivre, Abraham de
The Doctrine of Chances
The Library of James Stirling, Mathematician
Auction: 23 October 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
Or, a Method of Calculating the Probabilities of Events in Play. London: printed by W. Pearson, for the Author, 1718. 4to in twos (26 x 19.8cm), engraved device to title and final leaf, contemporary speckled calf, label chipped, joints slightly split, some very minor worming to lower margins, not affecting text [Babson 181; ESTC T33065; Tomash & Williams M114]
Footnote
First edition of ‘the foundation for the field of probability and statistics’ (Tomash & Williams): ‘the second book devoted entirely to the theory of probability and a classic on the subject’ (Babson). Dedicated to Newton, it is De Moivre’s most important work. In it ‘he developed a series of algebraic and analytic tools for the theory of probability, like a new “algebra”, for the solution of the problem of coincidences which foreshadowed Boolean algebra, the method of generating functions, or the theory of recurrent series for the solution of differential equations' (ODNB).