Beschreibung:

Carpenter (Nathanael). Geography delineated forth in Two Bookes. Containing the Sphaericall and Topicall Parts thereof, 1st edition, Oxford: printed by John Lichfield and William Turner printers to the famous University, for Henry Cripps, 1625, with the initial blank [par.]1, blank interleaf *1 before the second book, errata leaf 2N*3, and the final blank 2N*4, 4 folding letterpress tables, numerous woodcut diagrams in the text, browning, long closed tear to first table, fragments from a Latin incunable with 2 hand-painted initials used as endpapers, contemporary reversed calf, spine refurbished, 4to (18.6 x 13.6 cm) (Qty: 1) Provenance: 'Thomas Gore', calligraphic contemporary ownership inscription dated 1629 to initial blank; 'This Booke pertayne now to Frances Martin of Nantes', contemporary ownership inscription to the same, above a six-line inscription in French in a different contemporary hand; 'Francoys Martin de Nantes', contemporary ownership inscription to title-page. ESTC S107662; Sabin 10999; STC 4676. Especially uncommon complete with the four folding tables. Carpenter's primer for Oxford students contains a cautious discussion of 'a Spanish Chart taken by the Hollanders' showing California as an island; the recent North-West Passage expeditions undertaken by Henry Hudson (1610-11) and Thomas Button (1612-13) are cited as grounds for the author's scepticism. It also contains an early definition of geography as a discipline. 'Unable himself fully to accept the Copernican system, Carpenter presented his readers with a faithful account of it and encouraged them to weigh the evidence for themselves' (ODNB).