Bacon, Sir Francis

folio (331 x 210mm.), with final blank, variant issue with catchword "emittit" on ¶2r, printer's woodcut device on title-page, title within double rules, text within rules with a blank marginal column for notes, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces, later olive green morocco gilt by Bedford, covers with fillets in gilt and black, gilt acorn leaf cornerpieces, spine in seven compartments with gilt ornaments, gilt edges, first title page remargined and with some minor spotting and soiling (? possibly supplied early on from another copy), a few very minor scuff marks to covers, OTHERWISE A FINE, TALL COPY

Sir Edward Sullivan, bookplate, sale, Sotheby's, 20 May 1890, lot 530, £3-8, to Ridler (sold with Novum Organum, 1620, see present sale, previous lot); William O'Brien, bequest booklabel dated 1899

STC 1108; Gibson 129a

Unless otherwise stated condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

RARE. The only other copy offered at auction in recent decades is from the Robert S Pirie collection, sold at Sotheby's New York on 2 December 2015. This is the expanded and remodelled version, in Latin, of Bacon's The Advancement of Learning, which had first appeared in 1605. It is twice as long as the English version (the original book two for instance, has grown to eight books), and was conceived by Bacon as replacing it as the first part of his "Instauratio magna", his great philosophical programme arguing for a new productive natural philosophy. For the second part (and the only other part fully published) see previous lot.