Physical Geography [Two Volume set]

London: John Murray, 1849. Very Good. London: John Murray, 1849. New Revised Edition. Octavos (17 cm); xii, 422; viii, 443pp; portrait frontis in Vol I. Boards half bound in calf and marbled paper; spine gilt decoration and morocco label; edges and endsheets marbled. Board corners and spine ends on both volumes rubbed and bumped with wear to joints and margins and overall dustsoiled. Spine label for both volume numbers missing, though impression remains. Scuffing to marbled paper covers. Vol II fading at front cover and spine coming away at top of front hinge, otherwise intact. Previous owner bookplate to first pastedown of each volume. Heavily foxed at prelims of first volume and lightly foxed throughout both. A Very Good example.

Mary Somerville studied mathematics, astronomy, and physics, among other disciplines, and wrote multiple books on these subjects. Because of her cross-disciplinary interests and contributions she became the first person to be referred to as a "scientist" by William Whewell, who coined the word, as he felt she couldn't be described as only a mathematician or astronomer, and philosopher also didn't fit. Physical Geography sold more copies than any of her books and earned her the Victoria Gold Medal of the Royal Geographical Society.