Introductio ad principia

Debrecen, Hungary: Gregory Kallai [Per Gregorium Kallai], 1757. First Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Hatvani (1718-1786) was one of the well-known professors of the Calvinist College of Debrecen. His interesting and colorful character stirred the imagination of writers and poets, who invented stories about Hatvani's scientific experiments in order to attribute [to] him magic power. He got the name Hungarian Faust...Hatvani was the first professor at the Calvinist College who made physical and chemical experiments at his lectures. He lectured on mathematics, geometry, philosophy, physics, and astronomy..."-Tunde Kanotor-Varga, Mathematical Gems of Debrecen.

Hatvani studied mathematics with J. & D. Bernoulli. This is the more important of the two books he wrote on mathematics. It is also the first Hungarian work on statistics. He presents tables for births in Debrecen for the years 1750 to 1753. Finding the mortality rate to be higher that other European countries he seeks medical reasons. This first edition is uncommon.

xv, [1 errata], 304p. Folding table at end, text cuts. Text in Latin. First edition (first printing). Contemporary half-calf over marbled boards, spine banded, some wear, joints cracking; ownership inscription of Samuelis Cseb Szombatis, dated March 29, 1776 in Debrecen on the front free endpaper; note on rear blank in same hand.