Geometria, à Renato Des Cartes Anno 1637 Gallicè edita; nunc autem Cum Notis Florimondi de Beaune, In Curiâ Blaesensi Consiliarii Regii, In linguam Latinam versa, & commentariis illustrata, Operá atque studio Francisci à Schooten, Leydensis, in Academiâ Lugduno-Batavâ, Matheseos Professoris, Belgicè docentis

Lugduni Batavorum (Leiden): Ex Officinâ Ioannis Maire, 1649. First separate and first Latin edition of "La Géometrie" (second printing overall). Title page in red and black, with printer's device. In 18th century blind-stamped leather, spine with four raised bands. Spine lettered in ink. Small traces of worming on the lower margin of the first five leaves. Slight damages on spine, otherwise in fine condition.. With numerous illustrations of diagrams in the text.. With numerous illustrations of diagrams in the text. First separate and first Latin edition of "La Géometrie" (second printing overall). Title page in red and black, with printer's device. In 18th century blind-stamped leather, spine with four raised bands. Spine lettered in ink. (4°); (12), 336, (2), [2 blank] p.

Descartes' Geometria, with brief notes by de Beaune (1601-1652; French mathematician) and commentary by van Schooten. Frans van Schooten (1615-1660) was introduced to Descartes in 1632. Their first cooperation is dated a few years later when Descartes asked van Schooten to make the illustrations for "La Géométrie" (1637), the first work to propose the idea of uniting algebra and geometry into a single subject which invented an algebraic geometry called analytic geometry. Van Schooten was one of the earliest and most important people to promote the Cartesian geometry.

[Tchemetzine IV, 305., Wolf 196., Honeyman 858.]

With:

Descartes, René

Musicae Compendium.

Trajecti ad Rhenum (Utrecht), 1650. Gisberti à Zijll, & Theodori ab Ackersdijck. (4°); 58, [2 blank] p.

First edition of Descartes' only work on music. Printer's device on title page, with numerous woodcut illustrations of diagrams, figures and sheet music.

Descartes wrote this study on music in 1618 but it was first published only after a year of his death. During his service in the army Descartes met Isaak Beeckman (1588-1637) the Dutch philosopher and scientist who introduced him into problems in mechanics and acoustics. The result of their meeting was this eassay "Musicae Compendium", a treatise on music and a study in methodology. The German music theorist Hugo Riemann declared this work to be "among the ablest musical writings of its time".

[MGG III, 209.]

With:

Descartes, René

Epistola Renati Des Cartes ad celeberrimum Virum D. Gisbertum Voetium in qua
examinatur duo libri, nuper pro Voetio Ultajecti simul editi, unus Confraternitate Mariana, alter de Philosophia Cartesianâ.

(Amstelodami, 1650. Apud Ludovicum Elzevirium.) (4°; aa1-ll4); 88 p.

With half-title. Part of "Renati Des Cartes meditationes de prima philosophia, in quibus Dei existentia, & animae à corpore distinctio, demonstratur (...). Tertia editio prioribus auctior & emendatior (...)". (In this edition this epistle published with a special half-title and separate paging.)

Gisbertus Voetius (Gijsbert Voet, 1568-1676) was a Dutch Calvinist theologian. In 1642 while serving as rector of University of Utrecht persuaded the university's academic senate to issue a formal condemnation of the Cartesian philosophy. Descartes responded to the offense with this epistle.

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