1st edition PRINCEPS : Traité de la lumière de... Lot 10

1st edition PRINCEPS : Traité de la lumière de DESCARTES The World of Mr Descartes or the Treaty of the Light and the other principal objects of the senses. With a discourse of the local movement and another of the Fevers, composed according to the principles of the same Author Paris, Chez Jacques Le Gras, au Palais dans la Galerie des prisonniers.1664 in-8° 17,1 x 11,6 cm. 1 blank sheet, title, 7 ff. n.ch. ( Notice to the Reader, Table, Remarks, Erratum, Extract from the Privilege to Jacques Legras ), 260 pages + 31 pages (Speech pronounced in the assembly of Montmor, Touching the movement and the rest) + 30 pages (Speech of the Fever), 1 blank sheet. Woodcut illustrations in the text and 5 woodcut figures out of the text. Bound in full contemporary calf, spine gilt, title gilt. The binding is flawless with a smudge on the top of the first few leaves. First Edition of this essential treatise of Descartes' Reflection which he wrote, shortly before the publication in 1637 of his Discourse on Method. The book was finally published only after his death, by Claude Clerselier. One of Descartes' most important works, it offers a broad overview of his philosophy (metaphysics, astronomy, physics and biology). Although written in the 1930s, shortly before the Discourse of the Method (1637), the author decided not to publish the work, probably because of the recent condemnation of Galileo's heliocentrism, a thesis that Descartes defended in his work. This was published posthumously in 1664.The "Discourse on Local Motion" and the "Discourse on Fever" each have a separate pagination. - Original and posthumous edition. The notice to the reader is signed: D.R. = sieur Rouvière after NUC. - Extract from the royal privilege of 10 years from the first printing, granted on October 18, 1663 to Jacques. Le Gras who shares it with Michel Bobin, Nicolas Le Gras and Théodore Girard*. - Sig. pied-de-mouche]8, A-Q8, R2, A-B8, A-B8. - Woodcut figures. - Quoted in: "A.-J. Guibert, "Bibliographie des oeuvres de René Descartes publiés au XVIIe siècle", Paris, 1976, p. 211-213" *Another edition appeared at the same date but later at Michel Bobin & Nicolas Le Gras.