AN OBSERVER, IN SUSSEX [pseudonym]. Astronomy for the Million. Star-Gazing: or, Seeing is Believing. By an Observer, in Sussex. An Observer, in Sussex. London, Printed by John Smith and Co., 52, Long Acre, 1861.
Small 8vo. Original publisher's cloth, decorated in blind and lettered in gilt; pp. 62, partially hand-coloured wood-engravings in the text; cloth a little discoloured and wear to spine, internally, apart from light even toning, very good.
Rare first edition of this layman’s guide, ‘which treats on Astronomy in a plain and simple manner [and] is intended for THE MILLION.’ The author, or self-styled ‘observer, in Sussex’, further go on to state that ‘the style will be found very simple, when rightly considered, for you have only to place before you a common Celestial Globe, when, dividing it at the Equator, you can introduce the Solar System, and paint the Stars or Suns within the vault of the Globe, when everything is done that appears necessary’ (preface). The work discusses ‘The wonders of Astronomy’, ‘The Motions of the Earth’, ‘The Names or Terms made use of in Astronomy’, and ‘The Distances of the Planets, Satellites, The Stars or Suns, from our Earth’. Information is also provided on famous astronomers, such as Brahe, Galileo and Newton. Particularly noteworthy are the several finely executed engravings throughout, including ‘The Celestial Globe; or Uranium’, an orrery showing ‘The Solar System, with the sun, and the eight planets’; ‘The Earth, with the names of different lines’; and ‘The Earth and the Moon, revolving round the Sun, in one year, from West to East’. An altogether unusual work, which, although intended ‘for the million’, evidently only had a limited print run and readership, and thus was soon forgotten.
OCLC records two copies, both in the UK, at Cambridge and the British Library; we recently encountered one other copy in the trade; however, without colouring.
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