ASTRONOMY -- GALILEI, G. Opere (publ. dal G. Toaldo). Padua, G. Mansré, 1744. 4 vols. (8), lxxxviii, (4), 601, (1); (4), 564; (4), 486; (8), 342, (1) pp. W. engr. portr. of the author, 1 fold. plate, 1 letterpress table & num. text-diagram. 4°. Cont. vellum w. gilt lettering & red speckled edges. (Vol. 2 waterstained at the beginning, some tiny wormholes in binds. and endpapers, but a very good set).
Third (but first complete!) collected edition of Galilei's works with a preface and critical notes by Giuseppe Toaldo (1719-1797), physicist and astronomer who held the Chair of Astronomy at the University of Padua. It is the first edition to contain the "Dialogo dei massimi sistemi" ("Dialogue on the two chief world systems") which was put on the Index in 1633 from which it was not removed until 1835. - Brunet II, 1461; Graesse III, 15; Horblit, 100 Books Famous in Mod. Science 18c; PMM 128; Houzeau-Lancaster 3386.€ 1800