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The Origins of Cyberspace collection described as lots 1-255 will first be offered as a single lot, subject to a reserve price. If this price is not reached, the collection will be immediately offered as individual lots as described in the catalogue as lots 1-255.
BABBAGE, Charles. On the application of machinery to the computation of astronomical and mathematical tables. Offprint from Memoirs of the Astronomical Society of London 1 (1822). London: Richard Taylor, 1824.
Details
BABBAGE, Charles. On the application of machinery to the computation of astronomical and mathematical tables. Offprint from Memoirs of the Astronomical Society of London 1 (1822). London: Richard Taylor, 1824.
8o. Late 20th-century half calf, marbled boards. Provenance: Inscribed "From the Author" in Babbage's hand on the title-leaf.
FIRST SEPARATE EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY. This consists of offprints of two separate papers from the [Royal] Astronomical Society's Memoirs, issued together under a general title. The first paper, "A note respecting the application of machinery to the calculation of astronomical tables," was read on June 14, 1822; the second, "Observations on the application of machinery to the computation of mathematical tables," was read on December 13, 1822. In the first paper, a brief report on Babbage's progress with the Difference Engine, Babbage had referred to the formula x2 + x + 41 for generating prime numbers. The conservative politician Robert Peel, who had received some mathematical education, opposed government funding for the Difference Engine; he later quoted the above formula derisively in a remark expressing his distaste for Babbage's machines: "I should like a little previous consideration before I move, in a thin house of country gentlemen, a large vote for the creation of a wooden man to calculate tables from the formula x2 + x + 41" (in Peel's letter of March 8, 1823 to John Wilson Croker, quoted in Hyman 1982, 52). Eventually, as prime minister, Peel would refuse to continue funding for the Difference Engine no. 1, and refuse funding altogether for the Analytical Engine.
Babbage's second paper in the above offprint describes proposed improvements to the calculating machinery to limit errors in constructing tables with multiple orders of differences. Babbage was a founding member of the Astronomical Society, which was established in 1820. He served as a secretary of the Society from 1820 to 1824. Note that these separate offprints of papers read in 1822 were not published until 1824.Van Sinderen 1980, nos. 17, 19. This offprint is extremely RARE. When this bibliography was written, there were no copies listed in RLIN, and OCLC cited a single copy at the Niedersachsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek. OOC 33.
[With:] BAILY, Francis (1774-1844). "On Mr. Babbage's new machine for calculating and printing mathematical and astronomical tables". In Astronomische Nachrichten 2 (1823): cols. 409-22. Disbound. FIRST EDITION. A rare early report on the Difference Engine no. 1 by Babbage's friend, the eminent astronomer Francis Baily. Baily's enthusiastic report includes a survey of mathematical tables that the Difference Engine could be used to produce, such as tables of square and cubes, tables of logarithms, tables of reciprocals, etc. Baily's paper was reprinted in Volume 63 (1824) of the Philosophical Magazine. OOC 34.
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FIRST SEPARATE EDITION, PRESENTATION COPY. This consists of offprints of two separate papers from the [Royal] Astronomical Society's Memoirs, issued together under a general title. The first paper, "A note respecting the application of machinery to the calculation of astronomical tables," was read on June 14, 1822; the second, "Observations on the application of machinery to the computation of mathematical tables," was read on December 13, 1822. In the first paper, a brief report on Babbage's progress with the Difference Engine, Babbage had referred to the formula x
Babbage's second paper in the above offprint describes proposed improvements to the calculating machinery to limit errors in constructing tables with multiple orders of differences. Babbage was a founding member of the Astronomical Society, which was established in 1820. He served as a secretary of the Society from 1820 to 1824. Note that these separate offprints of papers read in 1822 were not published until 1824.Van Sinderen 1980, nos. 17, 19. This offprint is extremely RARE. When this bibliography was written, there were no copies listed in RLIN, and OCLC cited a single copy at the Niedersachsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek. OOC 33.
[With:] BAILY, Francis (1774-1844). "On Mr. Babbage's new machine for calculating and printing mathematical and astronomical tables". In Astronomische Nachrichten 2 (1823): cols. 409-22. Disbound. FIRST EDITION. A rare early report on the Difference Engine no. 1 by Babbage's friend, the eminent astronomer Francis Baily. Baily's enthusiastic report includes a survey of mathematical tables that the Difference Engine could be used to produce, such as tables of square and cubes, tables of logarithms, tables of reciprocals, etc. Baily's paper was reprinted in Volume 63 (1824) of the Philosophical Magazine. OOC 34.
Further details
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