Lot 70
Science and medicine
Collection of works, 18th century
The Library of James Stirling, Mathematician
Auction: 23 October 2025 from 13:00 GMT
Description
Mackenzie, James. The History of Health, and the Art of Preserving it. Edinburgh: William Gordon, 1758. First edition, 8vo, contemporary sprinkled calf, red morocco label, xii 436 pp., 2E1 with closed tear in text;
Cotes, Roger. Hydrostatical and Pneumatical Lectures. Published with Notes by his Successor Robert Smith. London: for the editor, 1738. First edition, 8vo, contemporary sprinkled calf, red morocco label, [16] 243 [7] pp., 5 engraved plates, 2 leaves of advertisements to rear, C4 with short closed tear, one plate with short split to fold;
Geoffroy, Etienne-François. A Treatise of the Fossil, Vegetable, and Animal Substances, that are made Use of in Physick … Translated from a Manuscript Copy of the Author's Lectures, read at Paris. By G. Douglas. London: for W. Innys [and others], 1736. First edition, 8vo, contemporary sprinkled calf, xxiv 387 [13] pp.;
Barba, Alvaro Alonson. A Collection of Scarce and Valuable Treatises upon Metals, Mines, and Minerals. London: J. Hodges, 1740. Second edition, 12mo, contemporary calf, red morocco label, [16] 319 [2] pp., engraved frontispiece, front free endpaper inscribed ‘AS 1760’ (i.e. Archibald Stirling);
Nicholson, William. The First Principles of Chemistry. London: G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1790. First edition, 8vo, contemporary sprinkled calf, red morocco label, xxvii [1] 532 [5] pp., engraved folding plate, front free endpaper detached;
Macquer, Pierre Joseph. Elements of the Theory and Practice of Chymistry. Translated from the French. London: A. Millar, and J. Nourse, 1758. First edition in English, 2 volumes, 8vo, contemporary sprinkled calf, red morocco labels, xix 419 [1], viii 434 pp., 6 engraved plates, initials of Archibald Stirling to front pastedowns (see above; dated 1761 in first volume), occasional marginalia; and 2 others similar (10)
Footnote
Chapter 11 of Mackenzie's work is headed ‘Of the Arabian physic … of Rhases and Avicenna concerning health … Of the Tacuin of Elluchasem Elmithar’. Golf is mentioned on pages 193 ('a safe and moderate exercise, performed on a bare smooth common, by driving two small hard balls with proper bats …') and 281 ('The golf should also be practised, where a proper field or bare common can be met with'). Roger Cotes was an editor of Newton's Principia.