LOGARITHMS

Cerda, Tomás, S.J.: Liciones de mathematica, o elementos generales de arithmetica, y algebra para el uso de la clase, por el P. Thomas Cerda de la Compañia de Jesus, Professor Real de Mathematicas en Barcelona, en el Colegio de Nobles de Santiago de Cordellas. Barcelona. Por Francisco Suriá, impressor de la Real Academia de Buenas Letras de dicha Ciudad 1758.

Mathematics textbook for the Col.legi de Cordelles, an illustrious school in Barcelona under Jesuit control which at this time sought to stand in for the city's university, that had been closed down by Philip V after the War of the Spanish Succession. The work includes study of Briggsian logarithms, and (I, 308-316), pages of logarithmic tables. Cerda (1715-1791), professor of mathematics at the school, was originally from Tarazona. He had been sent to Marseilles to study under the leading mathematics professor Esprit Pezenas. He was later the cosmographer royal in Madrid. With the expulsion of the Jesuits, he went to Forlí in Italy (Backer-Sommervogel).

Issue (which we have not found described), with frontispiece dated 1768. In the description on CCPB, and the copy (from Michigan) scanned for Google Books, it is dated 1758. An examination of our copy's prelims. has shown that the 2nd to 4th pages of our prefatory letter have different settings to those in the Michigan copy.

Details

First edition, new issue (see above). 2 vols., 8vo., pp. [14] 316; [4] 237 [3]; + engraved frontispiece to vol. I (tipped onto title-page), and fold-out letter-press table (bound in after p. 78, vol. II). The frontispiece, by Franciscus Boix, Barcelona, 1768 (see below) after I.P. Canals, has title 'Barcino. bonis artibus', and depicts putti with attributes of geometry, astronomy, navigation, cartography, architecture and painting, around a statue depicting the city, the scene set in Barcelona harbour. Light to medium browning, occasional light spotting and staining, binding loosening from text block in vol. I. Good copies, in contemporary vellum boards, fastenings removed, edges mottled red (loss at head of vol. I, still good bindings).

CCPB000061946-9, 000147683-1. Cf. Backer-Sommervogel II 992 #s 2, 3. OCLC (01/16) shows copies outside Spain at UCB and Michigan.