Beschreibung:

HUYGENS, Christiaan (1629-1695). Traité de la lumiere. Ou sont expliquées les causes de ce qui luy arrive dans la reflexion, & dans la refraction...Avec un discours de la cause de la pesanteur . Leiden: Pierre vander Aa, 1690. First edition, issue with Huygens's full name on title, of his groundbreaking exposition of the wave or pulse theory of light. He had developed his theory in 1676 and 1677 and completed the Traité de la lumière in 1678, reading portions of it to the Academy during the following year. He left it unpublished, however, until Newton's Principia (1687) and a visit with Newton in 1689 stimulated him to have it printed at last. His wave theory of light was in opposition to the corpuscular theory of light advanced by Newton, although modern physics has since reconciled both theories. 'Light, according to Huygens, is an irregular series of shock waves which proceeds with very great, but finite, velocity through the ether. This ether consists of infinitely minute, elastic particles compressed very close together. Light, therefore, is not an actual transference but rather of a 'tendency to move', a serial displacement similar to a collision which proceeds through a row of balls' (DSB). Dibner 146; Grolier/Horblit 54; Norman 1139. 2 parts in one volume, quarto (198 x 160mm). General title printed in red and black, separate title to part 2, woodcut device on both titles, numerous woodcut diagrams in the text. Contemporary vellum (slightly bowed). Provenance : shelfmark on pastedown.