La Statique des végétaux, et l'analyse de l'air [avec] Haemastatique, ou La Statique des animaux

First edition of the French translation of these two texts by Stephen Hales. The translation of the first work, originally entitled Vegetable Staticks published in 1727, is the first text published by Buffon. The translation of the second work, originally issued under the title Haemastaticks in 1733, is by François Boissier de Sauvages.
Our copy is complete with its 20 engraved figures on 10 folding plates for the first text and its folding plate at the end for the second.
Contemporary full speckled blond sheep, spine in five raised bands richly decorated with gilt compartments, rolls and fleurons, with a havana morocco title label, marbled endpapers, all edges speckled red. Headcap and two corners skilfully restored. A few leaves slightly browned.
Rare French first editions of these two texts by Hales, founder of modern experimental physiology.
The Statique des végétaux describes one hundred and twenty-four experiments on plant physiology. Buffon precedes it with an important “préface du traducteur” in which he praises not only Hales (“Je ne connais rien de mieux dans son genre, et le genre par lui-même est excellent.”) but above all scientific experiment, emblematic of the emergence of modern science: “Amassons-donc toujours des expériences, et éloignons nous, s'il est possible, de tout esprit de système, du moins jusqu'à ce que nous soyons instruits [...] c'est cette méthode que mon auteur a suivie ; c'est celle du grand Newton ; c'est celle que Messieurs de Verulam, Galilée, Boyle, Sthall [Stahl] ont recommandée et embrassée, c'est celle que l'Académie des Sciences s'est fait une loi d'adopter [...]” The plates, executed with great finesse, depict the machines devised (notably his famous water apparatus) and the processes used by Hales to demonstrate the circulation of sap and the production of gases in the plants he studied.
The second treatise, following the research of William Harvey and Marcello Malpighi, deals with blood circulation. It is in this work that Hales recounts his experiment on arterial pressure using one of his inventions, a precursor of the sphygmomanometer.