BOTTONI Domenico Pyrologia topographica id est de igne dissertatio juxta loca cum eorum descriptionibus.

Neville, I, 186; Duveen, p. 90; Poggendorff I, 251.

First edition.

“The distinguished physician of Messina and later of Naples, Bottoni (1641-1731) was the first Sicilian to be received by the Royal Society (1697), although he was not elected to its fellowship. The present important work is an analytical survey of the phenomenon of fire, in three sections: general, celestial, and terrestrial. Many subjects are critically examined: organic and inorganic compounds, carbon, phosphorus, acids and alkalis, light, the sun, volcanic activity, etc. There are references to Boyle, Giordano Bruno, Galileo, Gassendi, and others. Copies vary as to the number of plates” (Neville).

The present copy contains three plates depicting the famous image of the fire-fly, the other two show volcanic eruptions of the Etna and Vesuvius. Neville (his copy with only two plates) mentions a map which is not present here (as in the copy described by Duveen which contains the same 3 plates; Yale owns a copy with 2 plates, the British Library copy also has 2 plates only).

“Another Italian who devoted considerable space to cold light was Domenico Bottoni (1641-1731), a physician of Messina and later of Naples, who wrote on various physical phenomena. His book, Pyrologia Topographica… was divided into three parts. The first “De Igne in Genere” has a philosophical account of the views held by various men, ancient and modern, on fire. The second section, “De Ignibus Coelestibus” was devoted to “fires” which produce light without being hot (“de ignibus lucidis non ardentibus“). Bottoni discussed the difference between Lucem, Lumen, and Ignem with special reference to the firefly (Nitedula). The third section was entitled, “De Ignibus Terrestribus“, taking up subterranean fires, especially the eruptions of Mount Aetna and Mount Vesuvius” (Harvey, A History of Luminescence, p. 37).

The work also mentions volcanoes in Central America, South America, and California.

Some overall foxing or light toning.