Description

DALTON, John. A new system of chemical philosophy, Vol. I [Parts I & II]. Manchester: S. Russell for R. Bickerstaff; Manchester: Russell & Allen for R. Bickerstaff, 1808-1810.

First edition of the first volume of Dalton’s classic work on the atomic theory of matter. Although a second volume was published 17 years later (though only the first part), the discussion of atomic theoy is, in fact, confined to the final chapter of the first volume. “Dalton reconstructed Newton’s speculations on the structure of matter, and, applying them in a new form to chemistry, gave Lavoisier’s reformation of that science a deeper significance” (PMM). “Dalton’s chemical atomic theory was the first to give significance to the relative weights of the ultimate particles of all known compounds, and to provide a quantitative explanation of the phenomena of chemical reaction. Dalton believed that all matter was composed of indestructible and indivisible atoms of various weights, each weight corresponding to one of the chemical elements, and that these atoms remained unchanged during chemical processes. Dalton’s work with relative atomic weights prompted him to construct the first periodic table of the elements, to formulate laws concerning their combination and to provide schematic representations of various possible combinations of atoms. His equation of the concepts ‘atom’ and ‘chemical element’ was of fundamental importance, as it provided the chemist with a new and enormously fruitful model of reality” (Norman). “He developed a system of chemical symbols and a table [plate 4 in part 1] showing the relative weights of the atoms of a list of elements. From his principles he deduced the law of definite proportions and the law of multiple proportions” (Dibner). A second volume was published in 1827; by the time it appeared, “the theory had borne such widespread fruit that Dalton’s own conclusions were almost all out-of-date” (PMM). Dalton’s account of his atomic theory is, in fact, confined to pp. 211-216 of the first part of Vol. I, together with the 8 plates and their explanatory text. “The New System is one of those foundational books that doesn’t say what you might think it should. It is mostly not about atoms at all. The first 140 pages or so of Volume 1 dwell on heat and its effects, whereas Volume 2 is a detailed account of inorganic chemical compounds. Dalton’s atomic theory is confined to the five-page final chapter of the first volume. Here, he explains that the fixed stoichiometries of chemical reactions – so much of element A combines with so much of B – can be rationalized by supposing that the constituent atoms unite into ‘compound atoms’ of simple ratios, such as 1:1 or 1:2 . . . An ‘atom’ of water comprises one atom each of hydrogen and oxygen; an atom of ammonia is a 1:1 union of hydrogen and nitrogen” (Ball, ‘A New System of Chemical Philosophy,’ Nature 537 (2016), pp. 32-33).

Dibner, Heralds of Science 44; Duveen p. 156; Horblit 22; Norman 575; Partington III, pp. 799-813; Printing and the Mind of Man 261.

Two parts bound in one vol., 8vo, pp. vi, [ii], 220, with 4 plates; [viii], 221-560, with 4 plates (mostly light browning and foxing). Contemporary calf (at some time rebacked retaining original endpapers, extremities worn).