Physica

Physica sive Naturae scientia. Illustrated with numerous pen-drawn diagrams and figures, some in red and black. Inserted as a frontispiece is an engraving of 'Physique', portrayed as an allegorical female figure, by Crépy à St. Jacques. The MS. is in four sections: (1) De corpore naturali generatim spectato (pp. 7-140). (2) De generali mundi constitutione et de corporibus coelestibus (pp. 140-206). (3) De globo terraeque et de corporibus terrestribus (pp. 206-328). (4) De corporibus viventibus (pp. 329-end). This MS. contains notes of lectures based on Aristoteles' 'Physica', given at a French university or college, taken down by a student named 'Grossin', whose signature is found at the end of the text. It can be approximately dated by the reference on p. 274 and p. 280 to Isaac Newton's theory of colours. This appeared in his famous 'Optics' first published in 1704. On the unpaginated leaves at the beginning and end are medical receipts in French, by a mid-18th cent. hand.

Early 18th century

1 volume 6 ll. + 412 pp. + 8 ll. 4to. 181/2 × 15 cm. Original vellum binding.

Purchased 1930.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).