Dell' elettricismo. Lettere di Giambattista Beccaria . . . dirette al chiarissimo Sig. Giacomo Bartolomeo Beccari . . . Coll' appendice di un nuovo fosforo descritto by BECCARIA, Giambatista - 1758

Bologna: Colle Ameno, 1758. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 4to (310 x 215 mm). [12], 378, [4] pp. Including woodcut pictorial initial, woodcut head- and tailpieces, imprimatur and errata leaf at end. Bound in contemporary full vellum over boards, spine with red morocco label lettered in gilt, sprinkled edges (soiling and staining of vellum, wear to lower corners). Text generally bright and clean, minor faint spotting in places, a few marginal paper flaws. A fine, wide-margined copy. ---- Wheeler-Gift 392bis, Gartrell 31. RARE FIRST EDITION, and a continuation of Beccaria's contribution on athmosperic electricity "Dell' elettricismo artificiale" published 5 years before, in which he adopted Benjamin Franklins theory. Giovanni Battista Beccaria taught physics at the University of Turin from 1748. He introduced the study of Galileian experimental physics. He also studied and disseminated Newtonian physics and maintained a close correspondence with Benjamin Franklin. While personally interested in the study of electricity, he developed the theory of "revenge electricity", proved only by the work of Volta. As a result of his work and Franklin's discoveries, lightning rods were installed on St. Mark's Basilica in Venice and on the Duomo in Milan. Beccaria was also interested in geography, especially in measuring the degree of terrestrial meridian arc to be used as a basis for the calculation of the equatorial circumference and the crushing of the poles. - Visit our website for additional images and information.