NEWTON, Sir Isaac (1643-1727) - [PFAUTZ, Christoph (1645-1711)]. "Isaaci Newton, matheseos professoris Cantabrigiensis, & Regiae Societatis Anglicana Socii, Philosophia Naturalis Principia Mathematica. Londini, jusse Soc. Regiae, 1687," in: Acta Eruditorum. Leipzig: Johann Gross and Johann Friedrich Gleditsch, June 1688.

An attractive copy of the first edition of the most important contemporary review of Newton’s Principia. According to Gjertsen (Newton Handbook, 1986, p. 472), the other three contemporary reviews were without scientific merit and this one was by far the most detailed and influential. It was likely authored by the mathematician Christoph Pfautz and it made Newtonian thinking accessible to a wide audience across Europe. This volume also contains articles by Denis Papin, Jakob Bernoulli, and Gottfried Kirch.

Quarto (211 x 167mm). Pp. 303-315. 13 engraved plates in whole volume (occasional spotting). Contemporary vellum, red sprinkled edges. Provenance: Georgius Bergonci (engraved bookplate pasted to reverse of general title) – Archiv des k.k. militar-geograf. Institutes (stamp) – Austrian National Library with release stamp – illegible stamp on title.