NEWTON, Isaac, Sir (1642-1727). The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. Translated from Latin into English by Andrew Motte (d. 1730). -- John MACHIN (d. 1751). The Laws of the Moon's Motion, according to Gravity. London: for Benjamin Motte, 1729.

2 volumes, 8vo (194 x 120 mm). 2 engraved frontispieces by A. Motte, 2 folding letterpress tables, 47 folding engraved plates, 3 engraved head-pieces by Motte. (Some minor browning or spotting.) Contemporary English panelled calf (rebacked, later endpapers preserving bookplates, corners renewed) Provenance: Hugh Lee Pattinson (1796-1858), English chemist, Fellow of the Royal Society (armorial bookplate).

FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH OF THE PRINCIPIA, first published in Latin in 1687 (see lot 61). A translation of Newton’s System of the World follows Motte’s translation in Vol. II, and John Machin’s unsuccessful attempt to clarify Newton’s lunar theory appears at the end of Vol. II.

Bound in this copy, a total of 5 manuscript leaves comprising a contemporary copy of an excerpt from James Thomson’s Summer and an excerpt from Newton’s epitaph. Babson 20; Norman 1587; see PMM 161; Wallis 23.

NEWTON, Isaac, Sir (1642-1727). The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy. Translated from Latin into English by Andrew Motte (d. 1730). -- John MACHIN (d. 1751). The Laws of the Moon's Motion, according to Gravity. London: for Benjamin Motte, 1729.