Black, Joseph

LECTURES ON THE ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY, Delivered in the University of Edinburgh (2 Vol)

      Longman & Rees, London 1803 - Vol I pp lxvi + 556 with 3 engraved plates; 4 pages of explanation of plates, Vol II pp 762. Contemporary calf binding with joints having the beginnings of very slight cracks. Small chipping along bottom of Vol I, minor stain on corner of portrait page (not affecting portrait) else very good. Black was the chemist (first at the University of Glasgow, and then at the University of Edinburgh) who discovered carbon dioxide as well as latent and specific heat. He, along with geologist James Hutton, mathematician John Playfair, naval tactician John Clark, and historian Adam Ferguson, met regularly in an intellectual society known as the Oyster Club, where they carried on discussions concerning various hot topics of the science of the times. Despite their intellectual status and importance in the history of science, neither Black nor Hutton were prolific writers, and much of their published works depended to some extent on notes of their lectures taken by students and colleagues. Black's Lectures were actually compiled and edited by John Robinson (his pupil, friend and colleague) who used both his own notes and material supplied by Black. These two monumental volumes are the only substantial account of the work of the founder of modern quantitative chemistry. Scarce. [Attributes: Soft Cover]