William Nicholson A DICTIONARY OF CHEMISTRY 1795 First Edition Antiq... Lot 6361

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LOT 6361 Seller's Estimate: USD 1,500 - 2,500 Title: A Dictionary of Chemistry, Exhibiting the Present State of the Theory and Practice of That Science, Its Application to Natural Philosophy, the Processes of Manufactures, Metallurgy, and Numerous Other Arts Dependant on the Properties and Habitudes of Bodies, in the Mineral, Vegetable, and Animal Kingdoms. With a Considerable Number of Tables, Expressing the Elective Attractions, Specific Gravities, Comparative Heats, Component Parts, Combinations, and Other Affections of the Objects of Chemical Research. Illustrated with Engravings Author: William Nicholson - William Nicholson was a renowned English chemist and writer on "natural philosophy" and chemistry, as well as a translator, journalist, publisher, scientist, inventor, patent agent and civil engineer.On 12 December 1783, Nicholson was elected to the "Chapter Coffee House Philosophical Society". He was proposed by Jean-Hyacinthe Magellan and seconded by horologist John Whitehurst.Nicholson communicated to the Royal Society in 1789 two papers on electrical subjects. In the same year he reviewed the controversy which had arisen over Richard Kirwan's essay on phlogiston, and published a translation of the adverse commentaries by the French academicians (Lavoisier, Monge, Berthollet, and Guyton de Morveau) as ‘An Essay on Phlogiston, to which are added Notes.’In 1797 he began to publish and contribute to the Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry and the Arts, generally known as Nicholson's Journal, the earliest monthly scientific work of its kind in Great Britain— the publication continued until 1814. The journal included the first comprehensive descriptions of aerodynamics with George Cayley's "On Aerial Navigation",[3] which inspired the Wright brothers[4] a hundred years later.In 1799 he established a school in London's Soho Square, where he taught natural philosophy and chemistry, with the aid of a grant of £1,500 from Thomas Pitt.In May 1800 he with Anthony Carlisle discovered electrolysis, the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen by voltaic current. The two were then appointed to a chemical investigation committee of the new Royal Institution. But his own interests shortly turned elsewhere.Besides considerable contributions to the Philosophical Transactions, Nicholson wrote translations of Fourcroy's "Chemistry" (1787) and Chaptal's "Chemistry" (1788), "First Principles of Chemistry" (1788) and a chemical dictionary (1795); he also edited the "British Encyclopaedia, or Dictionary of Arts and Sciences" (6 vols., London, 1809). (Information courtesy of Wikipedia) Publisher: Printed for G. G. and J. Robinson City: London Year: 1795 Printing Information: First Edition Binding Style: Hardcover Pagination: viii/1132 pages Width: 9" Height: 10.75" Book Details: Condition / Notes: This is a scarce first edition (Cole 974), with two volumes bound in one. This antique volume is bound in contemporary full leather, with a gilt-stamped red leather label and five raised bands on the spine. This book shows external wear, with cracking to the upper half of the front spine edge. The covers display mild rubbing and some scuffing. Loss of material is visible at the bottom edge of the front cover and to the area under the spine label. The endpapers chipped and creased, with small perforations visible on the front flyleaf. Pencil notations can be seen on the preliminary opposite the title. The upper right corner of title page is clipped. The pages exhibit occasional light foxing. Four engraved plates, two of which are double paged, appear at the rear of the volume. This work also contains double-page tables.For lots which include only books, our shipping charge applies to any address within the fifty United States. For lots which are not books, the stated shipping cost in this listing will apply only to addresses within the continental 48 states. Within those parameters, the shipping cost for this lot will be: $10.50 Payment: The bu... read more

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