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Bacon, Francis and Rawley, William.
Sylva Sylvarum or A Natural History [bound with] New Atlantis. A Work Unfinished [and] History Natural and Experimental, of Life and Death.
Publisher: Printed for W. Lee and are to be sould at the Great Turks Head next to the Mytre Taverne in Fleetstreet, London;
Date of Publication: 1651
Stock Code: 15443
Seventh edition. Folio, pp., [xiv], 218, [26], 36, [8], 62, plus engraved frontispiece and title-page. sig., A⁴ (- A1) a⁴ B-T⁶ V-Y⁴, ²A⁴ b-d^{4 2}E⁴, ³A-B^{2 3}C-K⁴. Lacks A1 and ³[L]1 (i.e. letterpress title-page and final text leaf), otherwise complete. Contemporary polished calf; blind rule borders to boards; re-backed with calf spine on four bands; titled in gilt to red leather spine label; original laid end-papers to front, new end-papers to end. Inscription to A2 ‘John Taylor’s Book 1807’. Corners well worn; further rubbing to boards, particularly extremities; hinges cracked with evidence of historic tape repair; binding otherwise strong and square. Front free end-paper detached; occasional spotting; a few areas of minor worming; some gatherings cockled. A very serviceable copy. One of the great works of Renaissance humanism, in three imprints. ‘Sylva Sylvarum’ is a truly miscellaneous series of expositions on natural philosophy, discussing topics ranging from bird’s eggs to coffee to the percussion of air. Bacon was particularly interested in the prolongation of life through opium, which he discusses at length in the tract. In ‘A New Atlantis’ Bacon describes an imagined Utopian community of scientists at Salomon’s House. ‘History Natural and Experimental’ continues Bacon’s writing on natural philosophy, particularly focusing on the living (and dying body). Taken together, this is a fascinating work of early modern natural science, which would be influential into the Enlightenment. £350.00