Blair, David [pseudonym for Richard Phillips].

An Easy Grammar of Natural and Experimental Philosophy. For the Use in Schools. By David Blair, A.M [pseudonym].

Philadelphia: Published by Kimber & Conrad, 1811. Second American edition. A scientific work for young people that explores central forces and the center of gravity, mechanical powers, hydrostatics, hydraulics, pneumatics, optics, astronomy, electricity, etc. It also contains a question-and-answer section and a glossary. The first London edition was published in 1807 and the first American edition was published in Philadelphia (1809); both editions are scarce. Engraved frontispiece and nine engravings depicting the book’s experiments, including a folding plate that illustrates the phases of the moon. Leaves slightly browned, light foxing, a bit of offsetting from engravings. Small tears to upper corner and outer margin of frontispiece and 2” closed tear, touching frontispiece image, but with no loss. Contemporary ink inscription on recto of preliminary blank. A good copy of a fragile work. Contemporary tree calf, gilt-lettered red morocco spine label, spine ruled in gilt. Twelvemo. 160, [2, publisher’s ads] pp. Item #17438

Sir Richard Phillips (1767-1840) was a publisher, an editor of the Leicester Herald, and, at one time, the sheriff of London, knighted by the king in 1808. He held unorthodox opinions in matters of literature and science, conceiving at an early stage that the theory of gravitation had no foundation. Phillips also developed strong radical and republican views in politics. Though he authored such works as Morning’s Walk from London to Kew (1817) and Golden Rules of Social Philosophy (1826), he is best known as a purveyor of inexpensive miscellaneous literature designed for popular instruction (Oxford DNB). In the Preface, he writes, “All the definitions and elementary principles have been written with a studied brevity so that they may be learnt by rote. With these have been intermixed such easy and familiar Experiments and Illustrations, as enable the young student to work in each science, and at the same time render its principles intelligible to the lowest capacity. The exercises and questions have been drawn up in such a manner, as that in answering them the student may be forced to apply the several experiments, and reflect on what he has previously committed to memory” (pp. v-vi).

Price: $450.00