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Somerville, Mary Fairfax (1780--1872)
On the magnetizing power of the more refrangible solar rays. By Mrs. M. Somerville. From the Philosophical Transactions.
London (Place), printed by W. Nicol,, 1826.
[2], 8 p. ; 25.3 cm. (4º)

Mary Somerville, née Fairfax was the wife of William Somerville, Physician to the Royal Hospital from 1819, who was among Soane's 'Proposers' when his name was recommended for the Fellowship of the Royal Society. Her paper attracted much attention when it was presented to the Royal Society in 1826, and she later presented Soane with a copy her English version of Laplace's Mécanique céleste, published in 1831 as Mechanism of the heavens (q.v.). See K.A. Neeley, Mary Somerville: Science, Illumination, and the Female Mind. Cambridge Science Biographies, Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Copy Notes Inscribed in ink on title-page: John Soane Esqr./ from the author. Soane was presumably sent the pamphlet as a Fellow of the Royal Society and neighbour at Chelsea. Bound (2) in a collection of pamphlets and manuscripts.

Binding C19th half dark green roan, blind double-ruled borders, marbled-paper boards, gilt double-rule spine direct-lettered in gilt 'Brooksean Museum &c', later numbered '47' in a series of pamphlet volumes. Bound by Edwin Hutchinson for 2s. 6d. on 22 December 1830. (Archive 7/15/8).

Reference Number 695

Additional Names Hutchinson, Edwin; Somerville, Mary Fairfax (1780--1872); Somerville, Mary Fairfax (1780--1872)


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