A general index to the Philosophical Transactions, from the first to the end of the seventieth volume.

London, Davis and Elmsly, 1787. 4to (22.0x 16.0 cm). 801 pp. Contemporary polished calf. Spine with five, raised bands and gilt ornaments. Edges speckled red. = First (and only?) edition of this very useful index which contains references to both the "normal" Transactions and the "Abridged" editions, clearly indicating the differences between both. It consists of two parts, viz. a subject index, and one on authors. Indispensable to anyone researching in the very rich scientific contents of the early volumes (volume 1 published in 1666) of the Philosophical Magazine, with references to works by Boyle, Newton, Lister, Christopher Wren, Swammerdam, van Leeuwenhoek, Hooke, Halley, Cassini, John Ellis, John Ray, Flamstead, Herschel, Hevelius, "Hugens" (=Christiaan Huygens), Malpighi, Hutton, Willoughby, and numerous others. Provenance: Armorial bookplate of George Wilbraham "In portu quies", mounted on the front pastedown (probably George Wilbraham (1779-1852) of Delamere, Cheshire, an English Whig MP who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1821). Front board detached from spine, spine much worn with loss of labels. Text block, however, firm. Text pages clean. Needs rebinding, but otherwise a very good copy of this scarce work.