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Special Collections - Rare Books: 19th Century

1806: Lectures on Natural Philosophy: The Result of Many Years’ Practical Experience…, by Margaret Bryan.

Two copies of this book are available, one of which is dedicated by the authoress to the Duke of Sussex and appearing in presentation-style, goat-skin bindings.

1859: Anatomy, descriptive and surgical, by Henry Gray.

The first American edition of "Gray’s Anatomy," held by Special Collections to provide insight into what medical techniques and knowledge were available at the time of the Civil War.

1874: The Transit of Venus

Books featuring observations used to measure the distances between planets without modern techniques.

1874: Observations of the Transit of Venus, December 8-9, 1874 : made and reduced under the direction of the Commission created by Congress, edited by Simon Newcomb. The American observations on the transit of Venus.

Call Number: RARE QB512 .U57 1880

1874: Account of observations of the transit of Venus, 1874, December 8 : made under the authority of the British government : and of the reduction of the observations, edited by Sir George Biddell Airy. British observations on the transit of Venus.

Call Number: RARE QB512 .G81 1881

1874: Observations of the transit of Venus, 9 December, 1874 : made at stations in New South Wales; illustrated with photographs and drawings, under the direction of H.C. Russell, government astronomer. Australian observations on the transit of Venus.

Call Number: RARE QB512 .S98 1892