The Two Bookes
First edition of this foundational work of western thought.
Bacon’s first published philosophical work and the only one published in English.
The Two Bookes, first edition preserved in contemporary overlapping vellum.
In-4 de (1) f. 45 ff., 121 ff. (mal chif. 118), (1) f. bl.
Vélin souple à recouvrement, dos lisse, titre calligraphié au dos, traces d'attaches, sans les 2 ff. d'errata qui manquent le plus souvent et certainement propres aux tirages postérieurs "found only in a very few copies" (Pforzheimer). Reliure de l'époque.
180x 145 mm.
Bacon, Francis. The Two Bookes of Sir Francis Bacon. Of the proficience and advancement of Learning, divine and humane. To the King.
London, Henri Tomes, 1605.
First edition of this foundational work of western thought.
Gibson, 81 ; Pforzheimer, 36 ; Horblit, 8 ; Norman, 97.
A precursor to Bacon's masterwork the Instauratio Magna, this book focuses primarily on the classification of philosophy and the sciences.
Because it was first published in English and later translated into Latin, it is considered one of the earliest philosophical works in English. A foundational work of Western thought.
"Bacon’s first published philosophical work and the only one he published in English, The Twoo Bookes was divided into two books. The first was an eloquent and powerful defence of the importance of learning to every field of life… The much longer and more important second book was a general survey of the contemporary state of human knowledge, identifying its deficiencies and supplying Bacon’s broad suggestions for improvement" (ODNB).
"Intrinsically an important book " (Horblit).
"In terms of conscious power and statesmanlike eloquence he expressed ideas far in advance of his time" (W. C. Dampier).
Précieux exemplaire, grand de marges, conservé dans son séduisant vélin à recouvrement de l’époque.
