A System of Familiar Philosophy in Twelve Lectures

FRESH & HANDSOME COPY
EXPOSITION OF SCIENTIFIC ADVANCES
[Full title] A System of Familiar Philosophy in Twelve Lectures being the Course usually read by Mr. A. Walker. Containing the Elements and the Practical Uses to be Drawn from the Chemical Properties of Matter the Principles and Application of Mechanics; of Hydrostatics; of Hydraulics; of Pneumatics; of Magnetism; of Electricity; of Optics; and of Astronomy. Including every Material Modern Discovery and Improvement to the Present Time. Illustrated by Forty-nine Copper-Plates, neatly and accurately Engraved. A New Edition; in Two Volumes.
second edition 2 vols. 4to. (iii)-xvi, 354; iv, 251, [25 (index)], [1 (blank)], [2 (advts.)]pp., 49 folding plates, contemporary full polished tan calf, sides with a double blind fillet border, spines panelled by broad raised bands which are decorated in blind and highlighted in gilt, large blind tool in panel centres, black morocco title and volume labels lettered and highlighted in gilt, marbled endpapers, edges sprinkled red, engraved shelf label on front endpapers, leaf Y1 of vol.1 with a large tea? splash mark, couple small similar marks on one other opening, second volume lightly toned, else a very nice fresh copy.

First published in a single volume in 1799.Walker (Patterdale, Westmorland, 1730/31 - 1821), itinerant lecturer and writer, was largely self-taught and developed a considerable mechanical skill, constructing models of the milling machinery employed in the local mills. At fifteen he became assistant master at Ledham School, Yorkshire, and at eighteen was appointed writing master at Macclesfield Free School where he studied mathematics and issued his first publication A System of Family Bookkeeping, 1758. From 1762 to 1766 he ran a school in Manchester teaching a range of commercial and arts subjects and gave lectures on astronomy.
In 1766 he bought the apparatus of itinerant lecturer William Griffis, gave up his school, and became himself an itinerant lecturer. In the same year he also published the first of his very successful tracts, his Analysis of a Course of Lectures on Natural and Experimental Philosophy, which was first published in Kendal and ran to a twentieth edition in London under the editorship of his sons. Walker travelled through northern England, southern Scotland, spent four years in Ireland and settled in York. He drew large audiences due to his demonstrations, particularly his spectacular eidouranion, a transparent orrery which he used for fifty years. He invented and built a cometarium which demonstrated Kepler's first two laws of planetary motion. He was a friend of the well known itinerant lecturer James Ferguson and on Ferguson's death in 1777, Walker acquired his eclipsareon which demonstrated the nature of eclipses. In 1778-79 he gave a series of highly successful lectures in London which prompted him to set up home there in Hanover Square. From his London base Walker continued to travel and his lectures on mechanics were packed by artisans in northern towns.He was friendly with most of the eminent industrialists and scientists of the Lunar Society. He staged a highly successful performance of his new eidouranion in the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, which was accompanied by the music of the coelestina, a mechanical harpiscord producing a continuous sound which had patented in 1772. His Epitome of Astronomy, 1782, went through thirty editions. He visited Paris in 1785, toured Flanders, Germany, France and Italy in 1790 and published his views of French life. He lectured at the public schools of Eton, Westminster, St. Pauls and Rugby. He also patented improvements to various machines including a method of thermo-ventiliation, 1786, and a rotating light. He died at Richmond, Surrey, in 1821 and is buried in the family vault at Hayes where a monument commemorated him as "The Inventor of the Eidourion".
He published several works and described himself variously as "Teacher of the Belles Lettres in Manchester", "Lecturer on Experimental Philosophy" and "Lecturer to the Duke of Gloucester". He was married with one daughter and three sons, two of whom continued their father's practice of public and touring lectures.