The Wonders of the Heavens Displayed, in Twenty Lectures
Inbunden bok. First uppl. 1821.
Mycket gott skick.
The Wonders of the Heavens Displayed, in Twenty Lectures… (London: Sir Richard Phillips, 1821). First edition, rare. Sir Richard Phillips’ introduction to astronomy, strikingly illustrated with 51 plates, most of them folding, depicting the Moon, the planets Venus, Mars, and Jupiter, various constellations, the comet of 1811, and more. Phillips was an influential publisher who helped transform the British book trade and played a major role in the rise of affordable popular-science literature. A remarkable figure—teacher, author, magazine publisher, vegetarian and early animal-rights advocate, energetic if sometimes erratic political reformer, and radical political prisoner—he was imprisoned in 1792 for selling prohibited copies of Thomas Paine’s Rights of Man. He later served as Sheriff of London in 1807.
xxv, (1), 1–315, (1) pp., 51 plates. 21.5 × 13 cm. 0.690 kg.
Half calf, the spine professionally restored. Clean text pages, and the engraved plates with pleasant uncut margins.
