HALL, SIR JAMES 1761 1832 (2 resultados)

The influential English geologist is actually best known for his "Origin, History and Principles of Gothic Architecture," a 1797 lecture delivered in Edinburgh that was subsequently published in a number of editions; he was father of the noted travel writer Basil Hall (1788-1844). Excellent content ALS, 2pp, 7¼" X 8 3/4", Edinburgh, Scotland, 1824 April 20. Addressed simply to "Sir." Very good. Slightest of age toning. Interesting bookish contents, reading in part: "I now return with many thanks the books which you have been so kind as to lend me. The following is the list of them which I trust you will find to be correct. The principia of Sir I. Newton translated into English by Motte in two volumes. Robinson's Mechanical Philosophy. Nouvelles experience sur la resistance des fluides. I have used the freedom to keep these books some days longer than I intended to have done; being tempted to run over the last which I have done with great satisfaction having used the freedom to cut open the leaves. The book contains many interesting suggestions towards the execution of the experiments. and I shall be glad to resume it again when I hope for the advantage once more of your advice & assistance. at the same time I beg of you to accept of a copy of my book on Gothic Architecture." Bold and attractive, in Hall's usual sprawling hand.

Wrappers. Condición: Fine. First Edition. Two original articles disbound from Volume VII of Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh (not a reprint, facsimile reproduction, or photocopy). Roman numerals preceding titles refer to order of sequence as published in the Transactions. Demy 4to (273 x 210mm): 79-108,139-211,[1]pp, complete with nine copper-plate engravings. Recently bound by Fitterer in stiff marbled wrappers. An excellent wide-margined example, tightly bound and clean throughout. Geology Emerging 994. Hall founded the field of experimental geology and was a supporter of Hutton's Theory of the Earth. In the first paper, "On the Vertical Position and Convolutions of Certain Strata" (see DSB, vol. 6, p. 55), he conjectured that series of closely packed folds in Lower Paleozoic rocks in southern Scotland had been formed by lateral pressure. To test the theory, he constructed a machine in which layers of clay, when subjected to lateral pressure from opposing directions, reproduced folds closely comparable to those found in the rocks. Hall concluded that the intrusion of large masses of granite had produced the folding, providing strong support for Hutton's idea that granite was an intrusive igneous rock and marking a stage in the advancement of geological thought. The second paper, "On the Revolutions of the Earth's Surface," records a further attempt to reproduce a geological process experimentally. In it, Hall discussed certain surface features (later shown to have been caused by the ice sheets that covered Europe in the glacial period), and concluded that they were caused by the passage of enormous tidal waves (tsunamis). (Based upon the ideas of Horace Benedicte de Saussure and Peter Pallas, Hall came to believe that the earth's surface is reshaped and recycled, not by the ordinary processes of erosion, as Hutton had suggested, but by immense tidal waves.) Hall had examined numerous manifestations of glacial action in the region of Edinburgh, including deposits of boulder clay and fluvioglacial gravel, leading him to believe that a tidal wave, caused by some deep-seated and powerful submarine manifestation of igneous activity, had crossed mid- Scotland. He attempted to reproduce a tidal wave by exploding gunpowder under water, but the experiment appears to have done no more than produce a violent upheaval of the water above the explosion. N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).