Velázquez Cardenas y León, Joaquín (1732-1786)

Continuación, de los conocimientos interesantes sobre la Historia natural de las cercanias de la Ciudad de Mexyco. Año de 1790. Mexico. The present MS., apparently unpublished both as to the earlier part (? now lost) as well as to the present Continuación, is copied from a holograph (post 1771) of Velázquez. It includes observations both original and derivative on the fertility, the flora (esp. economic plants) and fauna (esp. birds), the geology, geography, meteorology and atmospheric electricity, of the Valley of Mexico; quotes some observations on terrestrial magnetism by José Ignacio Bartolache [1739-90]; and describes the earthquake of 1768. He refers particularly to the work of the Protomédico Francisco Hernández [1517/18-1587] and to its fate, and to the related work of the Dominican Francisco Ximénez.

1790

45 ll. 30 x 20.5 cm Bound in 19th cent. boards.

Purchased at Sotheby's 24.6.1919.

Regarded by Humboldt as 'the most remarkable geometrician produced by New Spain since the time of Siguenza', and distinguished as astronomer and mathematician, Velázquez was orphaned at an early age and tutored by the remarkable Indian Manuel Asentzio from whom he acquired indigenous history, mythology, and several languages. Educating himself in astronomy, mathematics and scientific method in Mexico City he became an advocate to earn his living, and went with the Visitador José de Gálvez to Sonora. Later in California where he corrected cartographical errors, his astronomical observations (including the transit of Venus in 1769) won the admiration of the abbé Chappe. His triangulation of the Valley of Mexico corrected locations of sites on the map, and therefore assisted the elaborate drainage works of Cosme de Mier y Trespalacios (d. 1805), Superintendente del Real Desagüe and Regente elect. He held numerous official and university appointments and ended his life as first Director-General of the Real Tribunal de Minería. [See Humboldt (1811), 1, 219-222; Arechederreta y Escalada (1796), p. 37, no. 241; Gazeta de Mexico, 1786-87, 2 (núm. 5), p. 71 (14 March 1786); and Medina (Mex.), vi, passim.].

Described in: Robin Price, An Annotated Catalogue of Medical Americana in the Library of the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1983).

Formerly in the Kingsborough Collection; then Phillipps MSS Nos. 15992, 16202.