NAVIGATION. Manuscript, 'De la Navigation', [France, perhaps Le Havre, c.1673/4].

NAVIGATION. Manuscript, 'De la Navigation', [France, perhaps Le Havre, c.1673/4].

In French, on paper, illustrated with approximately 167 figures, of which 8 with volvelles, 3 folding, occasionally embellished with watercolour, a few embellished with grotesque figures, landscapes, etc., and 19 tables (2 folding), index, approx 186 leaves plus 2 blanks, 227 x 170mm (occasional marginal tears; figure on f.42v affected by intense ink acidification and largely detached), remnants of original foliation (trimmed). Slightly later vellum (rather soiled). Provenance: sale at Christie's Paris, 23 June 2004, lot 304.

[With:] Abbé A. Anthiaume. Evolution et enseignement de la science nautique en France, et principalement chez les Normands. Paris: Dumont, 1920. Two volumes.

A comprehensive and lavishly-illustrated guide to the art and theory of navigation in the late 17th century, including by the sun, moon and stars, calculations of dates (including of Easter), definitions of the sphere, latitude, solar parallaxes, the effect of refraction, the use of the astrolabe and other instruments, the compass and how to calculate its variation, rhumb lines, scales and the use of maps. The manuscript can be dated from examples of lunar calculations on ff.1v-3v which use dates in 1673 and 1674. The contents of the manuscript closely follow the syllabus taught by Georges Boissaye du Bocage (1626-1696), maître d’hydrographie at Le Havre from c.1660 (see Anthiaume, vol.1, pp.240-1).

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