Early birthday present: 257 year old natural sciences book!
I am a bibliophile. I collect old science/medical books up through the 19th century.
For my birthday I got an early present from my mother: "LE SPECTACLE DE LA NATURE", a very old book about plants and animals-- my oldest piece so far.
M.DCC.LIV. = 1754.
In the front end papers, you can see a handwritten note from a David Taggart to an unknown general:
"My dear General,
Here is a book which you
will prize for its rarity or more
elegantly speaking-- its .
It will help you both in Natu-
ral History and in your new
pursuit of "La Langue Fran-
caise." Accept it with
the continued regards of
your long-time friend,
David Taggart
March 10, 1884
Strictly speaking the book is
not new."
The book was 130 years old when David wrote that.
The book's age has since nearly doubled.
It is filled with detailed pull-out illustrations of plants and animals. It is written in the socratic style, presenting the material as if it were a conversation. As you can see, it was written about 50 years before the long s (f) passed out of common usage.
It is Vol 1 of (I believe) 9. A bookseller in Paris has the full set, but it is somewhat more than I'm interested in paying.
Still, a beautiful gift. Imagine how much history it's seen... The French Revolution, the American Revolution... and so much more since.
Imagine how many hands have held it and eyes have studied it.
This is a keeper. Thanks, Mom!
We found the book at Clausen Books in Colorado Springs.
EDIT: unclekage suggests that the David Taggart in question was Col. David Taggart, a Pennsylvania state senator. Neat!
EDIT 2: It appears that Taggart was the subject of a letter from President Lincoln insisting he stay stationed in Philadelphia for reasons unclear.
EDIT 3: Taggart was present at the 1874 Centennial of Chemistry, an international meeting commemorating Joseph Priestley's 1774 discovery of oxygen. <3 scientists!
For my birthday I got an early present from my mother: "LE SPECTACLE DE LA NATURE", a very old book about plants and animals-- my oldest piece so far.
M.DCC.LIV. = 1754.
In the front end papers, you can see a handwritten note from a David Taggart to an unknown general:
"My dear General,
Here is a book which you
will prize for its rarity or more
elegantly speaking-- its .
It will help you both in Natu-
ral History and in your new
pursuit of "La Langue Fran-
caise." Accept it with
the continued regards of
your long-time friend,
David Taggart
March 10, 1884
Strictly speaking the book is
not new."
The book was 130 years old when David wrote that.
The book's age has since nearly doubled.
It is filled with detailed pull-out illustrations of plants and animals. It is written in the socratic style, presenting the material as if it were a conversation. As you can see, it was written about 50 years before the long s (f) passed out of common usage.
It is Vol 1 of (I believe) 9. A bookseller in Paris has the full set, but it is somewhat more than I'm interested in paying.
Still, a beautiful gift. Imagine how much history it's seen... The French Revolution, the American Revolution... and so much more since.
Imagine how many hands have held it and eyes have studied it.
This is a keeper. Thanks, Mom!
We found the book at Clausen Books in Colorado Springs.
EDIT: unclekage suggests that the David Taggart in question was Col. David Taggart, a Pennsylvania state senator. Neat!
EDIT 2: It appears that Taggart was the subject of a letter from President Lincoln insisting he stay stationed in Philadelphia for reasons unclear.
EDIT 3: Taggart was present at the 1874 Centennial of Chemistry, an international meeting commemorating Joseph Priestley's 1774 discovery of oxygen. <3 scientists!