BONNYCASTLE, John (1751-1821). An Introduction to Astronomy, London, 1786, large 8vo, engraved allegorical frontispiece and 20 plates, most folding, contemporary half calf (very worn). FIRST EDITION.

BONNYCASTLE, John (1751-1821).  An Introduction to Astronomy. In a Series of Letters, from a Preceptor to his Pupil. In Which the Most Useful and Interesting Parts of the Science are Clearly and Familiarly Explained. London: "Printed for J. Johnson, No. 72, St. Paul's Church-Yard," 1786. Large 8vo (208 x 135mm). Engraved allegorical frontispiece by John Keyse Sherwin after Henry Fuseli, 20 engraved plates including one map, most folding, tables (sections of the title excised [?removing previous owner's signature/inscription] preserving the letters, some mainly marginal spotting and staining, lacks all before the frontispiece and all after the "Directions to the Binder" page [i.e. blanks], some plates bound out of sequence). Contemporary half calf (very worn, upper cover detached). Provenance: Sigurd von Numers (modern signature on the front free endpaper; please see note to lot 304); "Master George Curtis, His Book, February 5, 1815" (old inscription with pen flourishes on the front pastedown); old pencil drawing of a ship on the recto of the frontispiece; old small ink drawing of a ship in the upper margin of the "Directions to the Binder" leaf and an old watercolour of a Red Ensign flag on the rear pastedown, with some associated old illegible pencil annotation. FIRST EDITION. Fuseli's frontispiece depicts the Greek poet Aratus, author of the astronomical poem 'Phenomena', startled out of his apparent despondency by the figure of Urania, the muse of astronomy, who indicates the heavens with her left arm. Between 1782 and 1785 the author was Professor of Mathematics at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. See DNB.