The first six books of the elements of Euclid, in which coloured diagrams and symbols are used instead of letters for the greater ease of learners / by Oliver Byrne, surveyor of her Majesty's settlements in the Falkland Islands and author of numberous mathematical works

Author: Euclid
Uniform Title: Elements. Book 1-6. English (Byrne)
Additional Titles: Elements of Euclid and Byrne's Euclid
Published: London : William Pickering, 1847.
Chiswick : Printed by C. Whittingham
Physical Description: xxix pages, 1 unnumbered page, 268 pages : color illustrations ; 25 cm
Additional Creators: Byfield, Mary, 1794 or 1795-1871, Byrne, Oliver, Pickering, William, 1796-1854, Whittingham, Charles, 1795-1876, Rogers, Bruce, 1870-1957, Pforzheimer Bruce Rogers Collection (Library of Congress), and Lessing J. Rosenwald Collection (Library of Congress)

Access Online

www.lib.uwo.ca , Connect to Internet resource

Availability

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Contents

1. Geometry of triangles and circles; transformation of regions -- 2. Geometry of the rectangle and the square -- 3. Circles, their tangents and diameters -- 4. Regular n-gons in and around circles -- 5. Basic properties of proportions about geometric magnitudes -- 6. Similarity of rectangular figures in the plane.

Summary

"Byrne ... considered that it might be easier to learn geometry if colors were substituted for the letters usually used to designate the angles and lines of geometric figures. Instead of referring to, say, 'angle ABC, ' Byrne's text substituted a blue or yellow or red section equivalent to similarly colored sections in the theorem's main diagram."--Friedman.
"Each proposition is set in Caslon italic, with a four line initial engraved on wood by Mary Byfield: the rest of the page is a unique riot of red, yellow and blue: on same pages letters and numbers only are printed in colour, sprinkled over the page like tiny wild flowers, demanding the most meticulous register: elsewhere, solid squares, triangles, and circles are printed in gaudy and theatrical colours, attaining a verve not seen again on book pages till the days of Dufy, Matisse and Derain."--McLean, Victorian book design and colour printing.

Subject(s)

Genre(s)

Collection

Fine Printing Collection.

Note

Presents Euclid's proofs using color pictures.
Signatures: [a]² b² c-d⁴ e² f1 B-2L⁴ 2M².
List of corrections on page xxix.
Text illustrated with geometric diagrams printed from woodblocks in red, blue, ochre, and black; four-line ornamental white woodcut initials on black criblé background, probably made for this ed. by Mary Byfield, a Chiswick Press wood-engraver.
Rare Books copy: In original plain wrappers, detached, laid in custom paste-paper and cloth chemise. Ownership label of Rudolph Ruzicka, a book designer. Manuscript note immediately below label: "Gift of David Silvé."

Source of Acquisition

Rare Books copy: Purchased with funds from the Mary Ann O'Brian Malkin Program Endowment for Rare Books and Manuscripts; 2022.
Rare Books copy: Purchased from Bromer Rare Books; 2022.

Action Note

Rare Books copy: condition reviewed; 20220615. Cover detached.
Rare Books copy: housed; 20220615; box. Drop spine box.

Reviewed/Cited In

Keynes, G. William Pickering, p. 37, 65
Library of Congress. Lessing J. Rosenwald collection, 1978
McLean, R. Victorian book design and colour printing, p. 53 (plate), 70
PMM part 2, no. 150

Endowment Note

Mary Ann O'Brian Malkin Program Endowment for Rare Books and Manuscripts

View MARC record | catkey: 34852598