51a. Gibson, Robert.
THE / THEORY AND PRACTICE / OF / SURVEYING; / CONTAINING
/ All the Instructions requisite for the skilful practice / of
this Art. / BY ROBERT GIBSON. / ILLUSTRATED BY COPPERPLATES.
/ THE WHOLE CORRECTED, NEWLY ARRANGED,
AND / GREATLY ENLARGED, / WITH USEFUL SELECTIONS,
/ AND A NEW SET OF ACCURATE / MATHEMATICAL TABLES.
/ BY D. P. ADAMS, / TEACHER OF THE MATHEMATICS.
/ NEW-YORK: / PUBLISHED BY EVERT DUYCKINCK, /
NO. 110 PEARL-STREET. /
George Long, printer. / 1811.
8vo. Title page (1 unnumbered p.); copyright (1 unnumbered p.); table
of contents (1 unnumbered p.); explanation of symbols (1 unnumbered
p.); text ([1]-324); [new pagination:] mathematical tables ([1]184);
13 engraved plates, all folding.
Robert Gibson (fl.1790-?) was a British mathematician whose work on
surveying went through many editions. The University has no less than
fourteen of these, the ones for 1792, 1796, 1798, 1803, 1806, 1811, 1814,
1816, 1818, 1821, 1828, 1834, 1835, and 1839.
The book is a straightforward text on surveying, a technique which
the author defines as follows:
The word Surveying, in the Mathematics, signifies the art of measuring
land, and of delineating its boundries on a map.
The Surveyor, in the practice of this art, directs his attention, at first, to
the tracing and measuring of lines; secondly, to the position of these lines in
respect to each other, or the angles formed by them; thirdly, to the plan, or
the representation of the field, or tract which he surveys; and fourthly, to the
calculation of its area, or superficial content. . . . Surveying, therefore, requires
an intimate acquaintance with the several parts of the Mathematics,
which are here inserted as an introduction to this treatise. [P. (1)]
After having sold his copy of Gibson's A Treatise of Practical Surveying
(No. 50) to Congress, Jefferson acquired either the 1811 or 1814
edition of The Theory and Practice of Surveying. It was in his library at
the time of his death, but the 1829 sale catalogue (lot 413) did not identify
the volume exactly, except to show that it was one of the Adams editions.
Either of the ones now in the University library, the 1811 edition
or the 1814 edition - which with the exception of a reset title page, seems
to contain identical information with the 1811 edition - could be a duplicate
of the one Jefferson had. Furthermore, it was probably one of these
editions Jefferson wished to order for the University in the section on
"Geometry" of the want list in 1825.
In ordering the book for the University, however, Jefferson did not
specify the edition. The 1821 edition, with the tables of James Ryan, is
the one which was actually supplied, though the copy in the library is
not the one purchased for it by Jefferson.
U. Va.?
*TA545.G4.1811
M?
