Beschreibung:

NEWTON, Sir Isaac (1642-1727). Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica. London: William and John Innys, 1726. Largest-paper presentation issue of the third edition of Newton’s Principia from the library of Thomas Herbert, Earl of Pembroke—an important association copy. This edition, the last published in the author's lifetime, was printed in three issues in a total of 1250 copies, comprising: 1000 copies on regular paper, 200 copies on large paper, and 50 copies on large and thick paper, of which the present lot is an example, intended for presentation to friends and colleagues. ‘It seems most likely that Newton presented this copy to Thomas Herbert’ (Macomber), the President of the Royal Society from 1689 to 1690 and the dedicatee of John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding . Newton’s Principia represents ‘perhaps the greatest intellectual stride that it has ever been granted to any man to make’ (Einstein), and this final lifetime edition includes a new preface by the author mentioning Halley’s comet as well as many alterations, "the most important being the scholium on fluxions, in which Leibnitz had been mentioned by name” (Babson). Babson 13; Macomber, ‘Census of the Owners of Copies of the 1726 Presentation Issue of Newton’s Principia ’ in Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America , 1953, no. 14 (this copy); Wallis 10. See PMM 161 and 1586 (first edition). Quarto (321 x 221mm). Title printed in red and black; engraved portrait with modern tissue guard inserted, many in-text diagrams (some spotting, title page with light toning opposite portrait). Contemporary calf gilt (expertly rebacked conserving original spine, crack to text block affecting spine panel). Provenance : Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke (1656-1733; shelfmark on front pastedown and later pencil note, then by descent and sold to:) – William H. Robinson, Ltd (catalogue 82, no. 345) – Francisco J.M. Duarte (ownership signature on half-title; his sale, Swann, 28 April 1977, lot 316).