Difference between revisions of "Philosophical Grammar"

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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''The Philosophical Grammar''}}
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{{DISPLAYTITLE: ''The Philosophical Grammar: Being a View of the Present State of Experimented Physiology, or Natural Philosophy In Four Parts. Part I. Somatology, ... Part II. Cosmology, ... Part III. Aerology, ... Part IV. Geology, ... : The Whole Extracted from the Writings of the Greatest Naturalists of the Last and Present Age''}}
 
===by Benjamin Martin===
 
===by Benjamin Martin===
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{{BookPageInfoBox
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<blockquote> Martin's first publication The Philosophical Grammar (1735), consisted of an epitome of current knowledge in the various branches of natural philosophy presented in a single inexpensive volume. An enlarged second edition (1738) was reprinted six times up to 1778, and was translated into Dutch, French, and Italian. In 1737 he produced a complementary work on non-mathematical subjects, Bibliotheca technologica, which considered the literary arts and sciences under twenty-five headings, ranging from theology to heraldry; it was later translated into French and Italian. The Bibliotheca was published by subscription, and the 564 names listed show that Martin by this time was becoming well known. Other volumes written at Chichester include Arithmetic (1735), Trigonometry (1736), Geometry (1739), Logarithms (1739), and Optics (1740). Astronomy was presented in a large copperplate print, Synopsis scientiae Caelestis (1739). <ref> John R. Millburn, ‘Martin, Benjamin (bap. 1705, d. 1782)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18175, accessed 11 June 2013] </ref> </blockquote>
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|imagename=MartinPhilosophicalGrammar1735Titlepage.jpg
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|link=https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991017469779703196
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|shorttitle=The Philosophical Grammar
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|author=[[:Category:Benjamin Martin|Benjamin Martin]]
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|publoc=[[:Category:London|London]]
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|publisher=Printed for J. Noon
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|year=1735
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|edition=First
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|lang=[[:Category:English|English]]
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|pages=xxx, [2], 322, [14], XVI folded leaves of plates : ill., maps
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|desc=[[:Category:Octavos|8vo]] (21 cm.)
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|shelf=N-3
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}}[[wikipedia:Benjamin Martin (lexicographer)|Benjamin Martin]] (1704 &ndash; 1782), lexicographer, science lecturer, and scientific instrument maker was born into a farming family in Surrey and spent the early part of his life working the lands.<ref>John R. Millburn, "[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/18175 Martin, Benjamin (bap. 1705, d. 1782)]," ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed November 21, 2013.</ref> Into his twenties, Martin started a school in Sussex where he taught a range of subjects, from writing to astronomy.<ref>Ibid.</ref> He even wrote inexpensive textbooks for students, including the fields of mathematics and what could be considered by modern-day standards as physics.<ref>John R. Millburn, "The London Evening Courses of Benjamin Martin and James Ferguson, Eighteenth-Century Lecturers on Experimental Philosophy," ''Annals of Science'' 40, no. 5 (1983), 438.</ref>
  
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==Bibliographic Information==
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[[File:MartinPhilosophicalGrammar1735PlateIVp118.jpg |left|thumb|300px|<center>Illustration of the Moon, Plate IV</center>]]
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'''Author:''' Benjamin Martin
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Written in 1735, ''The Philosophical Grammar: Being a View of the Present State of Experimented Physiology, or Natural Philosophy in Four Parts'' was Martin's first published work, and showed his dedication to providing an extensive scientific volume at an inexpensive price.<ref>Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin."</ref> Martin discusses numerous topics of natural philosophy including both terrestrial and cosmological subjects, and made the topics so as to be easily understood by students.<ref>Charles Platts, "[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Martin,_Benjamin_(DNB00) Martin, Benjamin]," ''Dictionary of National Biography'' 36, accessed through ''Wikisource'', November 21, 2013.</ref> The book underwent 6 reprints in a 40 year period, was translated into 3 other languages, and is considered to be his most successful publication.<ref>Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin."</ref>
  
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'''Title:''' The Philosophical Grammar: Being A View Of The Present State Of Experimented Physiology, Or Natural Philosophy In Four Parts. Part I. Somatology, ... Part II. Cosmology, ... Part III. Aerology, ... Part IV. Geology, ... : The Whole Extracted From The Writings Of The Greatest Naturalists Of The Last And Present Age
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Martin went on to publish a number of other works, and started delving into inventing and improving instruments such as microscopes and globes.<ref>Millburn, "The London Evening Courses of Benjamin Martin and James Ferguson," 439.</ref> He even became well known for the design and building of spectacles.<ref>Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin."</ref> Martin eventually shied away from his teacher role and took on a more adult-focused lecture career. He published a monthly magazine while continually inventing and opening a shop.<ref>Millburn, "The London Evening Courses of Benjamin Martin and James Ferguson," 439.</ref> Although he saw business success early on his his career, he unfortunately did not maintain the business acumen later in his life and declared bankruptcy a month before his death in 1782.<ref>Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin (bap. 1705, d. 1782)."</ref>
  
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'''Published:''' London: Printed for J. Noon, 1735.
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==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
  
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'''Edition:'''
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Listed in the [[Jefferson Inventory]] of [[Wythe's Library]] as "Martin’s Philosophical grammar. 8vo." and given by [[Thomas Jefferson]] to his grandson [[Thomas Jefferson Randolph]]. The precise edition owned by Wythe is unknown. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe George Wythe's Library]<ref>''LibraryThing'', s.v. [http://www.librarything.com/profile/GeorgeWythe "Member: George Wythe"], accessed on November 13, 2013.</ref> on LibraryThing indicates this, adding "Octavo editions were published at London in 1735, 1738, 1748, 1753, 1755, 1762, 1769, and 1778." The [https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433 Brown Bibliography]<ref> Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433</ref> lists the second London edition published in 1759 based on the copy Jefferson sold to the Library of Congress.<ref>E. Millicent Sowerby, ''Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson'', (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 4:30 [http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015033648125;view=1up;seq=44 [no.3726]].</ref> The Wolf Law Library chose to purchase the 1735 (first) edition.
  
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==Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library==
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<center>
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<gallery widths=350px heights=300px perrow=3>
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File:MartinPhilosophicalGrammar1735Bookplate1.jpg|<center>Bookplate of the Earl of Roden (with shelfmark), front pastedown</center>
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File:MartinPhilosophicalGrammar1735Bookplate2.jpg|<center>Bookplate of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald W. Chase, front fly-leaf</center>
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</gallery>
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</center>
  
 
==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
 
==Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy==
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Bound in full calf and rebacked in leather. Pages are white, bright, unmarked and unfoxed. The front endpapers have the bookplates of Earl of Roden and of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald W. Chase. Purchased from Adams & Adams Booksellers.
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===References===
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Bound in full calf and rebacked in leather. Pages are white, bright, unmarked and unfoxed. The front pastedown has the bookplate of the Earl of Roden; the bookplate of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald W. Chase is on the front fly-leaf. Purchased from Adams & Adams Booksellers.
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Images of the library's copy of this book are [https://www.flickr.com/photos/wolflawlibrary/sets/72157637446799075 available on Flickr.] View the record for this book in [https://wm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01COWM_INST/g9pr7p/alma991017469779703196 William & Mary's online catalog].
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==See also==
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*[[George Wythe Room]]
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*[[Jefferson Inventory]]
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*''[[Philosophia Britannica]]''
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*[[Wythe's Library]]
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==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
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[[Category:Books]]
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==External Links==
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*Read this book in [http://books.google.com/books?id=e_M4AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover Google Books].
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__NOTOC__
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[[Category:Benjamin Martin]]
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[[Category:George Wythe Collection at William & Mary's Wolf Law Library]]
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[[Category:Science and Medicine]]
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[[Category:Thomas Jefferson Randolph's Books]]
 
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
 
[[Category:Titles in Wythe's Library]]
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[[Category:English]]
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[[Category:London]]
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[[Category:Octavos]]

Latest revision as of 09:32, 5 June 2023

by Benjamin Martin

The Philosophical Grammar
MartinPhilosophicalGrammar1735Titlepage.jpg

Title page from The Philosophical Grammar, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary.

Author Benjamin Martin
Editor {{{editor}}}
Translator {{{trans}}}
Published London: Printed for J. Noon
Date 1735
Edition First
Language English
Volumes {{{set}}} volume set
Pages xxx, [2], 322, [14], XVI folded leaves of plates : ill., maps
Desc. 8vo (21 cm.)
Location Shelf N-3
  [[Shelf {{{shelf2}}}]]

Benjamin Martin (1704 – 1782), lexicographer, science lecturer, and scientific instrument maker was born into a farming family in Surrey and spent the early part of his life working the lands.[1] Into his twenties, Martin started a school in Sussex where he taught a range of subjects, from writing to astronomy.[2] He even wrote inexpensive textbooks for students, including the fields of mathematics and what could be considered by modern-day standards as physics.[3]

Illustration of the Moon, Plate IV

Written in 1735, The Philosophical Grammar: Being a View of the Present State of Experimented Physiology, or Natural Philosophy in Four Parts was Martin's first published work, and showed his dedication to providing an extensive scientific volume at an inexpensive price.[4] Martin discusses numerous topics of natural philosophy including both terrestrial and cosmological subjects, and made the topics so as to be easily understood by students.[5] The book underwent 6 reprints in a 40 year period, was translated into 3 other languages, and is considered to be his most successful publication.[6]

Martin went on to publish a number of other works, and started delving into inventing and improving instruments such as microscopes and globes.[7] He even became well known for the design and building of spectacles.[8] Martin eventually shied away from his teacher role and took on a more adult-focused lecture career. He published a monthly magazine while continually inventing and opening a shop.[9] Although he saw business success early on his his career, he unfortunately did not maintain the business acumen later in his life and declared bankruptcy a month before his death in 1782.[10]

Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library

Listed in the Jefferson Inventory of Wythe's Library as "Martin’s Philosophical grammar. 8vo." and given by Thomas Jefferson to his grandson Thomas Jefferson Randolph. The precise edition owned by Wythe is unknown. George Wythe's Library[11] on LibraryThing indicates this, adding "Octavo editions were published at London in 1735, 1738, 1748, 1753, 1755, 1762, 1769, and 1778." The Brown Bibliography[12] lists the second London edition published in 1759 based on the copy Jefferson sold to the Library of Congress.[13] The Wolf Law Library chose to purchase the 1735 (first) edition.

  • Bookplate of the Earl of Roden (with shelfmark), front pastedown
  • Bookplate of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald W. Chase, front fly-leaf

Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy

Bound in full calf and rebacked in leather. Pages are white, bright, unmarked and unfoxed. The front pastedown has the bookplate of the Earl of Roden; the bookplate of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald W. Chase is on the front fly-leaf. Purchased from Adams & Adams Booksellers.

Images of the library's copy of this book are available on Flickr. View the record for this book in William & Mary's online catalog.

See also

References

  1. ↑ John R. Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin (bap. 1705, d. 1782)," Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004- ), accessed November 21, 2013.
  2. ↑ Ibid.
  3. ↑ John R. Millburn, "The London Evening Courses of Benjamin Martin and James Ferguson, Eighteenth-Century Lecturers on Experimental Philosophy," Annals of Science 40, no. 5 (1983), 438.
  4. ↑ Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin."
  5. ↑ Charles Platts, "Martin, Benjamin," Dictionary of National Biography 36, accessed through Wikisource, November 21, 2013.
  6. ↑ Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin."
  7. ↑ Millburn, "The London Evening Courses of Benjamin Martin and James Ferguson," 439.
  8. ↑ Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin."
  9. ↑ Millburn, "The London Evening Courses of Benjamin Martin and James Ferguson," 439.
  10. ↑ Millburn, "Martin, Benjamin (bap. 1705, d. 1782)."
  11. ↑ LibraryThing, s.v. "Member: George Wythe", accessed on November 13, 2013.
  12. ↑ Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file. Earlier edition available at: https://digitalarchive.wm.edu/handle/10288/13433
  13. ↑ E. Millicent Sowerby, Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson, (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 4:30 [no.3726].

External Links

Retrieved from "http://lawlibrary.wm.edu/wythepedia/index.php?title=Philosophical_Grammar&oldid=73696"