69. Miller (Patrick) The Elevation, Section, Plan, and Views, of a Triple Vessel, and of Wheels..., first edition , large folding engraved plate (small tear at edge), front free endpaper with holes and traces of adhesive where item previously pasted in has been removed, Adam Smith’s copy with his book-label on front pastedown, contemporary russia, by William Scott of Edinburgh , covers with oval tree calf panel, dark calf surrounds gilt tooled with classical urns at corners, floral swags etc., a number clearly in Loudon’s list of tools, others not found there, gilt spine, g.e., marbled endpapers, joints rather worn and front joint splitting, manuscript note on front free endpaper facing title “Bound by William Scott, Edinburgh” (probably in his hand; for an almost identical inscription see Loudon, WS8), folio, 1787.
est. £3000 – £4000
An important association copy; an industrial work by an enthusiastic amateur engineer belonging to one of the leading figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, the philosopher and social scientist, Adam Smith [Bonar Catalogue No.116]. One of a number of presentation copies bound for Miller by William Scott, all of which, most unusually , are to a different patten; see Loudon, James and William Scott, pp. 338-59.
Patrick Miller (1731-1815) was a banker and businessman of Edinburgh, also regarded as the inventor of practical steam navigation. “He spent much time and money in shipbuilding experiments, his main idea being the construction of ships with two or three hulls, propelled by paddle-wheels placed between the hulls and worked by men from capstans on deck. In January 1786 the Edinburgh, a triple ship upon this plan, was commenced at Leith, and was launched in October of the same year. He published a description of this vessel at Edinburgh in February 1787 in a folio tract entitled ‘The Elevation, Section, Plan, and Views of a Triple Vessel with Wheels, with Explanations of the Figures in the Engravings, and a Short Account of the Properties and Advantages of the Invention,’ copies of which were sent to all the foreign governments and to the principal public libraries. The Leith Trinity House conferred upon him the freedom of the corporation for this publication in June 1787 (Scots Mag. xlix. 309). It has now become rare...” DNB. Miller was also the landlord and a benefactor of Robert Burns.
Only 5 copies of this edition are listed by ESTC (4 in UK, 1 in DuGolyer Library, Dallas, Texas). Another edition was published in the same year, with parallel French and English titles and text.