The History and Present State of Discoveries relating to Vision Light and Colours. 2 vols.

This is a rare or used book from the Berkelouw Rare Books Department.

London: J. Johnson 1772. 4to. Orig. full speckled calf (later rebacked with raised bands and morocco titling-labels. Corners repaired). With fold. frontispiece table in Vol. I and 23 (ex 24) mostly engrv. fold. plates (lacking Plate IV). Interior is generally clean; some shadowing on title-pages and occasional minor foxing otherwise fine. 1st edition. Without list of subscribers. NOTE: Joseph Priestly (1733-1804) English natural philosopher chemist and theologian. He is best known for his discovery of oxygen. According to the DSB the present work on vision light and colours "remained the only English work on the history of optics for a hundred and fifty years and the only one in any language for over fifty".