James Ferguson. ASTRONOMY EXPLAINED UPON SIR ISAAC NEWTON'S PRINCIPLES, AND MADE EASY TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT STUDIED MATHEMATICS. London: Printed for, and sold by the author, 1757. Second edition. Full leather re-backed in calf with raised bands and gilt-stamped spine, with fresh endpapers and red speckled edges. 4to; [8], 283, [9]pp. Complete with (14) folding plates (as listed on final page) including frontispiece. With printed marginalia, numerous tables, dedication, contents, errata, index, and directions to binder. ESTC T18585.

10 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.

James Ferguson (Scottish, 1710-1776) was an astronomer and traveling lecturer. He designed numerous astronomical devices and models such as an orrery. Astronomy Explained was extremely popular when it was first published, resulting in numerous subsequent editions, and it "allowed ordinary people without formal mathematical training to understand the works of Newton and helped support the vogue for amateur astronomy that was taking place in the mid eighteenth century" (https://www.rct.uk/collection/1090094/astronomy-explained-upon-sir-isaac-newtons-principles-and-made-easy-to-those-who).

Boards scuffed with dry cracking to leather, darkening at edges, edgewear, and corners heavily rubbed, some chipping to leather with largest area on corner of lower board; spine with some residue, lightly rubbed, joints with mild creasing; a lovely interior with very mild toning, light staining from binder's glue at paste-down, expected offsetting, and occasional light foxing, small chip or tear, soiling, and damp staining at lower margin and corner; frontispiece and final leaf appear extended, minor writing on a couple of pages, plate VII with tiny pinhole, final (2) leaves attached at inner margin. An easily very good copy with most pages near pristine.