Instauratio Magna [Novum Organum]

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A 'landmark in the advancement of human learning' (Pforzheimer). First edition, 1620, second issue. Bound within the first part of Summi Angliae Cancellarii, 1638 In contemporary full calf, gilt double fillet border to covers, spine with 6 raised bands & ornamental tool within double fillet gilt borders in the compartments, except second compartment with direct gilt titling, rubbed, some wear to extremities with tailcap showing, some splitting along upper joint, folio (292 x 190 mm). Internally, initial blank (Pi1) bound before A1, woodcut headpieces and historiated initials, a few leaves with small blank paper loss to outer top and bottom corners, bound with an incomplete copy of Bacon's Baronis de Verulamio (1638) bound before and after the Instauratio Magna, late 17th-century/early 18th-century engraved armorial bookplate of 'R. L. B. D. F.' to front paste down, with contemporary ink ownership inscription of 'Juliani le Tac Rothomagensis' at head, with the same owner's neat ink ownership name at head of title of the second work (Baronis de Verulamio, 1638) and with a small circular library stamp of Petit Seminaire de Caen lower down on the same title, engraved title after Simon van de Passe, second issue with e3 canceled (as usual) and e4r adding errata and omitting the name of Bill Norton from the colophon. (Baronis de Verulamio commences 1638), title, [10], [4], 176, 179-386, [16].299, [1]. Instauratio commences) engraved title, [10], [2], 172, 181-360. (Parasceve commences 1620) 7, 9-22, 25-36, [1], [1]. (Verulamio recommences 1638), [2], 303-475 pp. Housed in a modern cloth slipcase, printed title labels. (Signature in 6s&4s: Vervlamio A-4C6. Instauratio commences [1], q-q4, [1], A-D4, E-2T6, a-c3. Verulamio recommences [1], 4D2-4S4. Occasional missnumbering but complete. Provenance: 1. (ownership inscriptions) Julien Le Tac (or Letac, c.1640-1720), lawyer at Pont-l'Eveque, employed in the Court of Accounts, Aid and Finance for Normandy, and sometime resident of St Godard de Rouen; 2. (bookplate) Jean-Baptiste Remi Le Bas de Fresne (1723-1773), archdeacon of Gace, clerical advisor to the parliament of Rouen, dean of the chapter in Lisieux and builder of the deanery of Lisieux. His coat of arms depicts a spitting winged dragon. 3. (library stamp) Petit Seminaire de Caen. Gibson 103b; Grolier / Horblit 8B; Pforzheimer pp. XIX-XXI; PMM 119; STC 1163. First edition of one the most important works of the 17th century, an unsophisticated copy in an unrestored contemporary binding. 'Bacon conceived a massive plan for the reorganisation of scientific method and gave purposeful thought to the relation of science to public and social life' and 'his insistence on making science experimental and factual, rather than speculative and philosophical, had powerful consequences' (PMM).