[PHYSICS] Conversations on Natural Philosophy, that Science is Explained

Blake, J. L.; [Marcet, Jane]. Conversations on Natural Philosophy, in which the Elements of that Science are familiarly Explained, and adapted to the Comprehension of Young Pupils, Illustrated with Plates; Improved by appropriate Questions, for the examination of Scholars; also by Illustrative Notes, and a Dictionary of Philosophical Terms. Boston: Lincoln & Edmans, 1831. Boston Stereotype Edition. [11568]

Full brown leather with a black leather spine title label, scuffed and worn yet with good joints, tight, 4 1/4 x 7 1/4 inches. [i]-viii, [9]-252 pp., followed by XXII plates of drawings. Lacks a frontispiece and a final plate (priced accordingly); foxing throughout. Good. Hardcover.

Rev. Blake edited and added questions to a text written by Jane Marcet, neé Haldimand (1769-1858), an innovative writer of science books. Rev. Blake mentions her in the Preface. Marcet wrote in the style of a conversation, with questions and answers, in contrast to the style of the lecture hall. This text on physics treats with gravity, laws of motion, mechanical powers, astronomy, hydrostatics, pneumatics, and optics.

A Dictionary of Philosophical Terms, pp. 241-252. The bottom margins have 1,034 questions upon the text.

John Lauris Blake (1788-1857), a native of New Hampshire; educated at Brown University, a minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church, serving congregations at Providence, Concord, and Boston during his ministry. "He was for about twelve years the principal of a young ladies' school, during which time he published a number of popular text-books. A peculiar feature of his books, and which greatly contributed to their popularity, was the introduction of printed questions at the bottom of each page, a plan which has since been frequently adopted." - M'Clintock & Strong.