His First Important Book

Leçons Élémentaires d'Histoire Naturelle et de Chimie; dans lesquelles on s'est proposé, 1. de donner un ensemble méthodique des connoissances chimiques acquises jusqu'à ce jour; 2. d'offrir un tableau comparé de la doctrine de Stahl & de celle de quelques Modernes.

One folding engraved plate & 4 folding printed tables. 2 p.l., lxxxviii, 584 pp.; 2 p.l., 848 pp., 1 leaf. Two vols. 8vo, cont. mottled calf (small hole near top of spine of Vol. 2), spines gilt, red & black morocco lettering pieces on spines (black labels a bit rubbed). Paris: Rue et Hôtel Serpente, 1782.

First edition, and a fine set, of the author’s first important publication. It derives from a course of seventy lectures which Fourcroy gave each winter in his laboratory and it discusses all aspects of chemistry, including the recent work on gases. In all his lectures, Fourcroy emphasized the relations between chemistry and natural history and their applications to medicine. When Fourcroy wrote the first edition of this book, he had not yet adopted Lavoisier’s antiphlogistic theory. It was in the second edition of 1786 that Fourcroy announced his conversion.

This work became very popular and went through many editions and translations.

Nice set with half-titles.

❧ Cole 459. Duveen, pp. 224-25. Neville, I, p. 468. Partington, III, pp. 535-51. Smeaton 1.

Price: $1,950.00

Item ID: 3217