- "MUNDUM PULCHERRIMA FORMARUM MOTUUMQUE VARIATATE DISTINCTUM OPTIME NOVIT, PROH DOLOR!" -

HUGGINS (Sir William, English astronomer, 1824-1910); BENNETT (Rev. James, English congregational minister, 1774-1862)

Interesting letter from astronomer William Huggins as a young man, to his mentor, the non-conformist minister James Bennett, regarding the loan of Newton's Principia, 1854.

Original handwritten letter, written in black ink on two sides of a folded sheet of white paper (wove), with embossed monogrammed shield at top of first page 'W.H.'. Written wholly in Latin. Signed at top and addressed to 'Reverendo Jacobo Bennett, D.D.' above the salutation 'S.P.D.' [Salutem Plurimam Dicit]. Date and place at foot 'X Kalend. Novembr. Londini / A.D. 1854'. Page size: 21cm x 13.2cm.

Very Good To Good condition. Some light overall creasing, and folds for mailing. Verso of rear leaf laid down on album card. Later note on blue paper laid down on recto of this leaf. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images.

A rare early letter from astronomer William Huggins to his early mentor the Rev. James Bennett, written in Latin, and regarding the loan of books and other matters. Rev. Bennett's son, the physician Sir James Risdon Bennett, has laid a note inside to give the context for the letter, explaining that his father had lent Huggins Newton's Principia and other books "when he was a lad serving in his father's shop as a draper in Bishopsgate St. Mr Huggins was at that time assisted in his classical education by my father, who was greatly interested in him from his love of science & as the only son of his parents who were of my father's congregation in Silver St. / J.R.B."

Provenance: Extracted from an album of autograph letters compiled by the Bennett family in the 19th century.