Dereham - Transazioni Filosofiche - 1731

SCIENTIFIC JOURNEY BETWEEN LONDON AND NAPLES, ON BEHALF OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY
This “Essay of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society,” translated by Tommaso Dereham and published in Naples in 1731, represents one of the most important channels for the diffusion of English scientific knowledge on the continental Europe. Through the cultural and linguistic mediation of the translator, the discoveries of the Royal Society – the beating heart of the scientific revolution – are made accessible to the Italian public. The volume is not a mere collection, but a true intellectual bridge between two worlds: the English experimental one and the Mediterranean academic one. The engraved plates, often folded, testify to the centrality of observation and imagery in the construction of modern scientific knowledge.
MARKET VALUE
Italian translations of the Philosophical Transactions of the eighteenth century are sought after, especially when complete with plates. Well-preserved copies, with an intact contemporary binding and complete plates, can reach 600–900 euros.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Contemporary full-leather binding with gold decorations on the boards and spine; boards with gold-tooling, damaged and poorly repaired. Numerous folded engraved plates, depicting naturalistic subjects, anatomical subjects, and scientific instruments. Binding worn with abrasions, gaps and deformations to the boards and spine; interior pages with some browning and occasional foxing; plates with pronounced folds. Some tears present on the folded plates. In old books with a multigenerational history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pp. (2); 8vo; 198; (4).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Essay of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. Vol. I. Naples, for Moscheni and Compagni, 1731. Translated from the English by Sir Tommaso Dereham.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, established in 1665, are considered the first modern scientific journal. Their Italian translation in the eighteenth century marks a crucial moment in the European circulation of scientific ideas. Tommaso Dereham, a central figure in the cultural mediation between England and Italy, plays a fundamental role in making English discoveries accessible to a cultured but non-Anglophone audience. The content ranges from astronomy to medicine, from natural philosophy to zoology, reflecting the encyclopedic nature of eighteenth-century science. The engraved plates constitute an essential apparatus for the visual understanding of the phenomena described.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Tommaso Dereham (c. 1670–1739) was an Anglo-Irish clergyman and scholar active in Italy, known for his role as mediator between English and Italian scientific culture. A member of the Royal Society, he contributed to the diffusion of modern scientific ideas through translations and popular writings.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The Neapolitan edition of 1731 is part of a broader project to translate and disseminate the works of the Royal Society. Printed for Moscheni and Compagni, it testifies to the growing interest in experimental science even in southern Italy. The volumes were intended for an educated audience, comprised of scholars, physicians, and members of academies.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
ICCU/OPAC SBN, record for Dereham, Essay of the Philosophical Transactions (Naples, 1731)
Royal Society Archives, Philosophical Transactions
Historic Italian libraries (18th-century scientific collections)
Studies on the circulation of scientific knowledge in Europe
Indexes of the history of science (17th–18th centuries)