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Treatise on comets inspired by the famous comet of 1811

GRUITHUISEN, Franz von Paula.
Ueber die Natur der Kometen, mit Reflexionen auf ihre Bewohnbarkeit und Schicksale - Bey Gelegenheit des Kometen von 1811.

With aquatint frontispiece showing 5 illustrations above a 2-line verse by Schiller, 3 folding engraved plates, 2 folding letterpress tables.

Munich, Ignatz Joseph Lentner, 1811. 8vo. Contemporary half-leather, red title-label, red edges. With aquatint frontispiece showing 5 illustrations above a 2-line verse by Schiller, 3 folding engraved plates, 2 folding letterpress tables. 368 pp.

Rare, interesting work on the nature of comets. Franz von Paula Gruithuisen (1774-1852) studied medicine and science, and taught science to medical students before becoming professor of astronomy at the university of Munich. "Sein nicht geringes Verdienst besteht darin, im Kampf gegen die romantische Naturphilosophie der beobachtenden und experimentierenden Forschung das Wort geredet zu haben. Dabei führte ihn eine ausgeprägte Kombinationsgabe zu kühnen Hypothesen, die überhaupt oder für die damalige Zeit gewagt waren und Angriffsflächen boten" (NDB).
In his astronomical publications, Gruithuisen showed much interest in the physical structure of celestial bodies. He was the first to propose the hypothesis that the craters on the moon were the result of meteoric impacts! Curiously, he also thought that life on the moon was possible. In the present publication - one of his earliest - he deals i.a. with the course, speed and size of comets, the number of known comets etc. Then he proceeds to discuss their origin and the possible existence of life. The work concludes with the eventualities of a collision of a comet with the earth, a theme that has inspried many people (including movie-directors) up to the present day.
The frontispiece depicts the comets of 1618 ('Sterngefüllte Komet'), 1652 ('Vollmondähnliche Komet'), 1661 ('Schönbewolkter Komet'), 1665 ('Goldglänzende Komet') and 1811 (the largest illustration). Friedrich Schiller's poetic lines below these illustrations are taken from his much longer verse 'Der Tanz', first published in 1795 and republished in 1800. The two lines read: "Ewig zerstört, es erzeugt sich ewig die drehende Schöpfung/ Und ein stilles Gesetz lenkt der Verwandlungen Spiel." The two folding tables in the text list calculations of the courses of 98 comets, and the sizes and other measures of the sun, planets and the moon. The three folding engraved plates at the end show a map of some courses of comets, a celestial map with comets and some other paradigms, and the comets of 1664 ('Getigerte Komet'), 1805 ('Pfauenschwanzförmige Komet') and 1807.

Good copy.- (Library number pasted on spine, binding slightly rubbed, library label of "Bibliothek des Bureau's der Landesvermessung in Arnsberg" on inside frontcover, title-p. w. small closed hole and library stamp on verso

NDB VII, pp. 210-211; Poggendorf I, cols 964-965; not in Houzeau & Lancaster.

Related Subjects: 19th Century Astrology Astronomy Astronomy & Cosmography

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