Duodecimo 18th century roan spined marbled boards (upper hinge repaired/head of spine chipped/tips worn) All edges rouged. Titlepage +[6] +424pp *Coat of arms bookplate & location on front end-paper otherwise completely unmarked crisp copy. The only Elzevir edition. *These essays are the first edition of Boyle's work in Latin to be printed on the continent. Physiologica in this sense included discourses on physics, chemistry, meteorology, medicine & related subjects as well as observations that we would still classify as physiology [eg dog's digestive system]. There are accounts of purely chemical research. According to Fulton "the importance of this work lies in the fact that in a very real sense it was a prologue to the Sceptical Chymist since it continued the attack on the alchemists began in New experiments, and actually it was as much of a landmark in the history of chemistry" [as those other works]. It gives the first clear outline of his corpuscular theory of the nature of matter (Fulton 29, Wellcome I 221, Garrison & Morton).