Expériences et observations sur l'électricité faites à Philadelphie en Amérique ; & communiquées dans plusieurs lettres à M. P. Collinson de la Société royale de Londres. Traduites de l'anglois [par Dalibard]

Rare first edition of the French translation prepared by Thomas-François Dalibard at the request of the Comte de Buffon (cf Wheeler Gift 367d. Waller 11339. DSB V, pp. 129-139).

Full mottled calf, spine with five raised bands ruled in gilt and decorated with double gilt compartments with floral tools, red morocco lettering-piece, gilt rolls on the caps (partly rubbed), restorations to head and tail of spine as well as to the corners of the boards, marbled endpapers and pastedowns, gilt fillets on the edges, marbled edges, contemporary binding.

Some foxing, a dampstain to the upper right corner of the first endpaper.

The English first edition was published in London in 1751 under the title "Experiments and observations on electricity made at Philadelphia in America" (cf. Norman 830 for that edition).

The volume, illustrated with a folding plate, opens with a note from the translator, followed by an abridged history of electricity and the preface of the English editor.

These are followed by the Letters on Electricity, addressed to Peter Collinson, member of the Royal Society and friend of Benjamin Franklin: written between 1747 and 1749, they number four in all and describe numerous experiments on electrification and the conduction of electricity, notably with the Leyden jar, the scientific instrument reproduced on the folding plate; they also discuss the properties of pointed conductors that attract electricity, which would lead in 1752 to the invention of the lightning rod.

The final section concerns observations made in Philadelphia in 1749.

A pleasing and rare copy.