Beschreibung:

RECORDE, Robert (ca. 1510-1558). The whetstone of witte, whiche is the seconde parte of Arithmetike . London: John Kyngston, 1557. 4 o (174 x 127 mm). Collation: a-b 4; A-Q 4 S-Z 4 Aa-Rr 4. 164 leaves, one folding half sheet signed R1 and one folding full sheet signed Dd3. Black letter, unfoliated. Numerous woodcut diagrams and initials, 2 folding tables. (Title somewhat soiled, final leaf soiled with a small repair at gutter margin, very minor worming to some gutter margins, some marginal soiling and minor stains.) 19th-century speckled calf gilt, edges gilt (binding defective); quarter morocco folding case. Provenance : Some early marginalia including calculations; 19th-century notes concerning the author on the front flyleaf. VERY RARE FIRST EDITION OF THE FIRST ENGLISH TREATISE ON ALGEBRA. Published as a continuation to the same author's Ground of Artes (1543), this work introduced for the first time the equals sign (=) as a pair of parallel lines. In the chapter entitled "The rule of equation, commonly called Algebers Rule," Recorde writes: "And to avoide the tediouse repetition of these woordes: is equalle to: I will sette as I doe often in woorke use, a paire of paralleles, or Gemowe lines of one lengthe, thus:=====, bicause noe.2. thynges, can be moare equalle." Recorde also showed how the square root of an algebraic expression could be extracted. Recorde's algebra was partly based on German sources such as Steubel and Stifel (see lot 199). Dibner Heralds of Science 104 note; Smith p.286; STC 20820; Norman 1808.