An Essay on Vision Briefly Explaining the Fabric of the Eye and the Nature of Vision. Intended for the service of those whose Eyes are Weak or Impaired: Enabling them to form an accurate idea of the true state of their sight, the means of preserving it, together with proper rules for ascertaining when spectacles are necessary, and how to choose them without injuring the sight.
London: The author by R. Hindmarsh, 1792. Second edition. Full marbled leather with titles to spine. There is some edge wear, with 5 cm of edge loss to the base of the spine, and some loss to the front board where the leather has worn through.
Folding engraved plate with a small repair to the foot of the plate. The rest of the book is in good, slightly darkened condition. Bound to the rear is a 14 page catalogue of spectacles and other equipment.
viii, 157, [1], [14], [2], pp. 215 x 140 mm (8½ x 5½ inches). The collation is interesting. The Wellcome Foundation copy has [xi] pages to the front. Pages [ix-xi] are an advert for other works by the author. In this copy these pages are lacking. In all auction copies we have seen, these pages are also lacking, and it would seem that the publisher often did not include them. However, in this copy, there is an additional leaf to the rear, which has substantially the same information. This leaf is dated 1799. It would seem that by 1799, the publisher was still binding up the second edition, but with an updated "author's works" to the rear.