MALTHUS (Francis):   A Treatise of Artificial Fire-Works Both for Warres and Recreation: with divers pleasant Geometricall observations, Fortifications,and Arithmeticall Examples. In fauour of MathematIcall Students.  New written in French, and English by the Authour Tho: Malthus. London, Printed [by W. Jones] for Richard Hawkins, and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancerie-lane neere to Seriants Inne,  1629.   [5946]

FIRST EDITION  in English.  8vo, 165 x 100 mms., pp. 1 - 40, 19, 40 - 41, 44- 45, 42 - 43, 48 - 94, 96, 96, 97 - 149, 160 - 161, 152 - 153, 164 - 165,156 - 157, 168 - 169, 160 - 172, 171 - 261 [262 blank, 263 - 270 Contents], collating complete despite the erratic pagination including engraved title-page (of Vulcan apparently explaining the technology of fireworks and gunpowder to Minerva) opposite printed title-page, engraved illustrations within text on pp. 7, 12, 18, 22, 26, 30, 35, 19 [sic - misnumbered],  42,52, 57, 66, 72, 98, 116, 127, 143, 146, 160, 153, 156, 169, 162, 166, 170,173, 177, 182, 184, 190, 193, 196, 199, 202, 205, [208], 211, and 214, newly rebound, preserving old end-papers, in full antique-style calf, gilt borders on covers, raised bands between gilt rules on spine; lacks blank leaves A8 and S8, corner torn from pp. 173 - 174 (text unaffected), stain cleaned from engraved title-page, occasional spotting of text, but a very good copy of an uncommon book.  With the autograph and date "Wm. Davis. 1791" on the top margin of the title-page, and on the recto of the engraved title-page the date Sept. 1855 and the note, "Compositions for my rockets of the following size.  Mould No. 1.  Interior diameter of case, 1/2 inch, full Powder 8 oz., Chace 1 1/2 oz."  [Bang.]   Given the various mathematical calculations in the treatise, the former owner William Davis is possibly the mathematician
and publisher (1771/2 - 1807).   

Malthus published Traite des Feux Artificiels pour la Guerre, et pour la Recreation in 1629, and this English translation came out in the same year. He was "Commissaire des Feux Artificiels du Roy," and this is a typicalhandbook of the period, dealing with cannon, gunpowder, fireworks, fortifications, sieges, etc.  It was republished several times in the 17th century.

STC (2nd ed.), 17217.  ESTC S109781 locates copies in the BL,  Magdalene
College Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Corpus Christi College, Oxford;
Huntington, Folger, Harvard, Free Library of Philadelphia.

Price: £4,000