Lot 40. HOWARD, Luke.

The ‘student of clouds’ or ‘father of meteorology’ Luke Howard (1772-1864) published this work of statistics on weather conditions in London in two volumes, in 1818 and 1820, before issuing a much improved second edition in 1833. He was the first to recognise the effect of urban areas on local climates.

Howard was by profession an industrial chemist, but his great interest in meteorology led to his studies on clouds, and his devising of the system of Latin cloud names which was adopted internationally and is still in use.

Volume 1 begins with an introduction to the work, explaining his intention to make available in one place consistent records of weather events. He argues that for the benefit of ‘agriculture and navigation’, a systematic approach is required, and he outlines his methods and equipment in some detail. The tables of observations taken at Plaistow, near London, in the years 1806-9 then begin, and are interspersed with notes and a commentary which includes accounts of similar weather phenomena observed elsewhere.

Description

3 volumes, 4to., vol I: v, [3], lxxii, 348 pp, 2 folding diagrams, 5 plates; vol II: [2], 407 pp.; vol III: [2], 383 pp., numerous tables within text, contemporary brown cloth gilt, medallion in blind to covers, volume III unopened, attractive bookplates to each, publisher’s cloth, rebacked with original spines laid on, corners bumped, replaced endpapers, internally very bright and crisp.

Provenance: Paul and Lucy Waterhouse (ex libris).

Bibliography