A General Treatise of Artillery: or, Great Ordnance writ in Italian by Tomaso Moretti of Brescia Ingenier first to the Emperour, and now to the most Serene Republick of Venice. Translated into English, with Notes thereupon, and some Additions out of French for Sea-Gunners. By Sir Jonas Moore, Kt. With an Appendix of Artificial Fire-works for War and Delight; by Sir Abraham Dager Kt. Ingenier by MORETTI, Tomaso

Woodcut frontis., seven folding woodcut plates, & one folding printed table (detached). 6 p.l. (incl. frontis.), 124 pp. 8vo, fine 18th-cent. mottled calf, flat spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. London: Printed by A.G. and J.P. for Obadiah Blagrave, 1683. Second edition in English, enlarged (1st ed. in English: 1673) of Moretti's Trattato dell'Artigliera (Venice: 1665). The makeup of our edition is complicated - just look at the bibliographical head scratching which takes place in the ESTC entry - and there is tremendous variation in copies. Our copy lacks the two preliminary leaves with dedication to George Wharton and two final advertisement leaves (none of the three Macclesfield copies had the leaves of ads and each had a different collation). This text was translated by the son of Jonas Moore (1617-79), mathematician and patron of astronomy, who supported John Flamsteed and helped finance the foundation, construction, and equipping of the observatory at Greenwich. Jonas Moore Jr. has made a number of additions and Abraham Dager's appendix appears here for the first time. Dager sought to apply principles used in firework displays to defensive warfare. Fine copy from the Macclesfield library with the South Library bookplate and embossed stamp. ❧ Philip, A Bibliography of Firework Books, p. 99.