Lot 83: ROBERT FLUDD (1547-1637)

ROBERT FLUDD (1547-1637) [Utriusque cosmi maioris scilicet et minoris metaphysica, physica atque technica historia.] Tractatus secundus de naturae simia seu technica macrocosmi historia. Oppenheim: Hieronymus Gallerus for Johann Theodorus de Bry, 1618. Volume 2 only, 2° (300 x 193mm). Engraved title by Matthias Merian, woodcut initials, head-and tailpieces, numerous engraved and woodcut illustrations of which many full-page, 5 engraved folding plates, extra leaf inserted between Mm2 and Mm3. (Title lightly stained and re-laid with slight loss at inner margin, browned, sometimes heavily, a plate repaired on verso without loss and another plate with clean tear, N2-N3 and Dddd2-3 transposed, few illustrations shaved, small repair with loss at head of Cc4.) Old reused vellum with later morocco lettering-piece, red edges (some small stains). FIRST EDITION of this section of Fludd's comprehensive Utriusque cosmi historia, which contains sections on arithmetic, music, geometry, optics, painting, fortifications, mechanics, cosmography, astrology, and geomancy. Fludd, who trained in medicine at Oxford, spent the years 1598-1604 on the Continent, and it is likely that most of these texts were written at that time, before he returned to London and set up as a practising and successful physician. Caillet 4042; Duveen 222; Gregory & Bartlett i 91; Hirsch 175; Mellon 74; RISM p.319.