Complete set of the first Dutch edition of an incredibly rich collection of scientific experiments in the form of amusing party games, all soundly based on the principles and laws of modern science. It was intended for people of all stations in life and of all ages and aimed to instruct people in an entertaining way about magnetism, optics, perspective, arithmetic, chemistry, electricity, properties of matter, etc. First published in Paris in 1760 as Nouvelles Récréations Physiques et Mathématiques.
The end of each volume gives a catalogue of the experiments described and for sale by "Heer Guyot", with their prices. The first volume adds: "te Parys in de straat Ticquetonne", but the prices are in Dutch currency. Many experiments needed instruments or utensils, like magnets, a camera obscura, a magic lantern, mirrors, invisible ink, etc., but others use household objects, boards, playing cards, dice, chess pieces, etc.
The bindings show signs of wear, the boards are somewhat rubbed, some occasional slight browning along the edges of the leaves. Otherwise in very good condition. Bierens de Haan 1856; STCN 243987609 (10 copies, incl. 3 incomplete); Waller 650; not in BNK; Buijnsters; Gumuchian; cf. Caillet 4900 (French orig.).