AN INTRODUCTION TO ASTRONOMY BY JOHN BONNYCASTLE 1796 THIRD EDITION

[BONNYCASTLE, John, 1750?-1821]. An introduction to astronomy. In a series of letters, from a preceptor to his pupil. In which the most useful and interesting parts of the science are clearly and familiarly explained. Illustrated with copper-plates. By John Bonnycastle, of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. London: printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, St. Paul’s Church-Yard, MDCCXCVI. [1796].

The third edition, corrected and improved. Leather-bound. Hardcover. Octavo (210 x 125 x 40 mm). Pp. vi, [2], 437, [3]. English text. Signatures: a⁴ b-²e⁸ ²f³. Beautiful contemporary binding of full reverse calf, smooth spine decorated, morocco lettering-piece, boards with decorative frames. 18 engraved plates, many folding. Condition: FAIR to GOOD. Lacking frontispiece and plate XIV, otherwise complete. Front joint starting but all firm and secure. A little rubbing to spine ends. Textblock very well-preserved, remaining largely fresh and clean. A sound copy.

Notes: The author John Bonnycastle was an English teacher of mathematics. Between 1782 and 1785, he was appointed professor of mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, a position he held until his death in 1821. He believed that the approach to geometry exhibited by Euclid provided an outstanding method for teaching young people logical and precise thinking and he followed his work closely. His greatest mathematical contributions were; The Scholar's Guide to Arithmetic (1780) and Algebra (1782).