Beschreibung:

HARRIS, John (c.1666-1719). Lexicon Technicum: or, an Universal English Dictionary of Arts and Sciences Explaining not only The Terms of Art, but the Arts Themselves. London: Dan. Brown, Tim. Goodwin [and others], 1704-1710. 2 volumes, 2 (321 x 202mm [vol.I]; 318 x 192mm [vol.II]). Titles in red and black. [Vol.I]: 8pp. subscribers' list. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Harris by G.White after R.White, 7 engraved plates (2 folding), numerous illustrations. (Some browning to text and five plates, small tears to the two folding plates.) [Vol.II]: 12pp. subscribers' list. 7 engraved plates (6 folding). (Small tears to two folding plates, general light browning or spotting.) A Supplement to Dr. Harris's Dictionary of Arts and Sciences... By a Society of Gentlemen. London: for the Authors, sold by M.Cooper [and others], 1744. 2 (350 x 218mm). 6 folding engraved plates. (Occasional light browning.) Together, 3 volumes. Near-uniform speckled calf, rebacked soon after publication with uniform contemporary calf spines, tooled in gilt with red and green morocco lettering-pieces (spines rubbed, joints split). FIRST EDITIONS of all three parts of the first general scientific encyclopedia. For its content Harris drew on the works of Newton, Tournefort, John Ray Halley, Robert Boyle, and others; Newton is listed as a subscriber and the work contains his only writings on chemistry (Horblit). Harris, Secretary of the Royal Society from 1709, was the 'earliest lexicographer to distinguish between a word-book (dictionary) and a subject-book (encyclopedia)' (PMM). The first volume is also the first English encyclopedia in alphabetical order. RARE with the supplement. As stated on the title-page, the Supplement contains many additions and amendments to 'make the most useful set of books, and complete body of arts and sciences yet extant'. The work may be considered complete in one, two or three volumes. Grolier/Horblit 25a; Wellcome III, p.212; Norman 992; PMM 171a. (3)