De Rerum Varietate Libri XVII. Adiectus est captim, rerum & sententiarum notatu dignissimarum Index

Fine medallion woodcut port. of the author on verso of title, numerous woodcut illus. in the text, one folding woodcut plate (pp. 769-70) with the woodcut volvelle unassembled on a separate slip bound-in, & one folding printed table (pp. 790-91). 16 p.l. (the last a blank), 1194 (i.e. 1204), [64] pp. Thick 8vo, cont. blind-stamped panelled pigskin over wooden boards (some light dampstaining) by Hans Bopp of Nuremberg, orig. clasps & catches. Basel: [H. Petri], 1557. Second edition (the first edition was published earlier in the same year) of Cardano's second great encyclopedia of natural science; it is a continuation of and supplement to his De Rerum Subtilitate (1st ed.: 1550). These two works contain his important ideas on physics and metaphysics. In this book, Cardano made notable contributions to mechanics, hydrodynamics, and geology and there are interesting chapters on astronomy, botany, zoology, chemistry, metallurgy, etc. "Of special chemical interest is Book X, comprising one chapter on fire...a chapter on distillation with woodcuts of apparatus, and a chapter on chemistry. It finishes by a chapter on glass."-Duveen, p. 117. A very good copy. Somewhat later ownership inscription of Paulus Memminger (1599-1663), Bürgermeister of Regensburg on front paste-down endpaper. This edition is the first to contain the invaluable index. ❧ D.S.B., III, pp. 64-67. Partington, II, pp. 9-15. Thorndike, V, pp. 563-79. For the binding, see Haebler, I, 43, 3.