HOGG, Jabez (1817–1899)

The Microscope: Its History, Construction, and Application (London: George Routledge & Co.), 1859

Fourth edition [copy used in the preparation of the 6th edition]

8vo; pp. xiv, 621

Jabez hogg’s own working copy of his classic of Victorian microscopy. Signed by Hogg to the front free endpaper, with a note ‘Corrections for 5+6th editions’.

In fact, these changes were only incorporated in the 1867 sixth edition, as the 1861 fifth is really a reissue of the fourth. The sixth is the best edition, adding to the significance of this volume.

There are annotations to more than 300 pages, ranging from typographic corrections, to changes to addresses and names of instrument makers, frequent critical comments on the quality of the woodcuts, questions about taxonomy, and the addition of new text. Intriguingly, about half of the annotations are in pen, half in pencil, and the pencilled annotations appear to be in a different hand. Conceivably this is Hogg working over quite a long period – or might the book have been given to a collaborator to copy-edit?

Hogg was a surgeon and microscopist, but probably most famous for his very early experiments in photography. The Microscope was immensely successful, selling tens of thousands of copies and going through many editions.

Very good condition: binding a little marked; annotated throughout.