Gilbert, William. De Magnete, Magneticis Que Corporibus, ...

      London: Peter Short, 1600. Folio. *8, A-V6. [16],240pp. Modern antique-style full calf,with center-piece and rules in blind, spine banded title gilt; 8 ink corections, as usual, thought to be in Gilbert’s own hand; occ. foxing, a very nice copy; a leaf of contemporary notes is inserted between pages 126 & 127 in Latin. Title with woodcut printer"s device on recto and Gilbert"s woodcut arms on verso. 88 woodcut diagrams and illustrations in text (4 full-page), one folding. Decorative woodcut head- and tail-pieces and initials. First Edition. Gilbert"s (1544-1603) De Magnete is "a remarkable work in the history of scientific discovery. It cost the author 18 years of investigation and experiment. Large marginal asterisks mark what he considered great discoveries, and small asterisks minor ones. There are 21 of the former and 178 of the latter. Gilbert shows that a freely suspended magnet is controlled by the earth and not, as supposed, by extra-terrestrial influences. His magnetic theory enabled him to explain the behavior of the compass-needle, the dip-needle, the magnetic condition of vertical masses of iron, and the magnetic properties of heated iron bars when allowed to cool while lying in the magnetic meridian... Gilbert is chary of prose and wrathful in denunciation; he was a staunch Coperican, and warm friend of Kepler and Galileo." [Wheeler Gift.] "...it is with Gilbert, who was physician to Queen Elizabeth I, that the modern development of electricity and magnetism really starts. His book "On the Magnet" was the first major English scientific treatise based on experimental methods of research... He coined the terms "electricity," "electric force," and "electric attraction"... He contended that the earth was one great magnet; he distinguished magnetic mass from weight; and he worked on the application of terrestrial magnetism to navigation..." [PRINTING AND THE MIND OF MAN.] STC 11883. ESTC s121112. PMM 107. Horblit 41. Sparrow 85. Dibner 54.Houzeau & Lancaster 2870. Norman 905. Osler 675. Wheeler Gift 72. Durling/NLM 2099. ESTC s121112.Neville I,522.