Christiaan Huygens, 1698

HUYGENS, Christiaan (1629-1695). The Celestial Worlds Discover’d. London: Timothy Childe, 1698.

The first scientific exploration of extra-terrestrial life; first edition in English (same year as first Latin edition). Best known for his study of Saturn’s rings, Huygens here speculates on the environmental conditions of other planets and their ability to support life. Huygens argues that “in the Copernican world system ... the earth holds no privileged position among the other planets. It would therefore be unreasonable to suppose that life should be restricted to the earth alone ... Huygens came to the conclusion that, in all probability, the plant and animal worlds of other planets are very like those of the earth” (DSB). While other authors had written fantastical tales about life on other planets, Huygens specifically labels his work here as conjecture as opposed to fiction—a well-reasoned vision of life beyond earth as opposed to a work of science fiction. John Flamsteed gave a copy of this book to Thomas Plume who was so moved by the work that he endowed the Plumian Professorship of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge, which exists to this day. Wing H-3859; Wellcome lists only the second edition.

Small quarto (173 ×110mm). 5 folding plates (occasional offsetting including on final two plates, few small tears, small puncture to final leaf touching 5 words). Contemporary panelled speckled calf over paper boards (rebacked, worming on upper cover repaired, extremities rubbed, stain along upper cover). Provenance: contemporary inscription “Mr. Brain’s book” on flyleaf – Norton & Lenchwick Vicarage Library (bookplate, gift of Rev. P. Cassy) – Owen Gingerich (bookplate).