Lot 213
Natural Philosophy - manuscript volume, Thomas Pearse
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photography
Auction: 11 January 2017 at 11:00 GMT
Description
A System of Natural Philosophy, comprising ms. title-page and 115 manuscript leaves, 17 x 10cm., with the signature: "Tho. Pearse, Erius Liber, Anno Dom: 1720 May 3th." to f.4, with two full-page astronomical illustrations, eighteenth century quarter calf, one leaf towards rear of the work dampstained affecting a proportion of the text, covers rubbed, spine chipped, joints split
Footnote
Provenance: An accompanying note, dated 1986, appears to be from the great, great, great, great grandson of Thomas Pearse. The note states that Thomas Pearse lived at Sidbury Manor, South Devon, from 1690-1758.
Note: An interesting manuscript natural philosophy, covering the nature of Earth, astronomy, a description of 'aether', the nature of fire, thunder, lightning, the nature of light and colours, plants & vegetables and the human body. The work mentions Ptolemy, Copernicus and Newton. Much of the work, such as the chapter entitled 'An Appendix concerning Newtons [sic.] Improvement on Copernicus', is laid-out in a numbered bullet point fashion, perhaps summarising theories of natural philosophy.