(Born: 1640?; Died: 1684) English physician & writer.

Fellow of Oriel College of Oxford.

Biographical references: BBA: I 236, 260-261. • Watt, Bibliotheca Britannica, 1824. • WBI.

The Natural History of Nitre,1670

1. English, 1670.
The | Natural History | Of | Nitre: | Or, A | Philosophical Discourse | Of The | Nature, Generation, Place, and Ar- | tificial Extraction of Nitre, | With Its | Vertues and Uses. | [rule] | By | William Clarke. | [rule] | London; | Printed by E. Okes for Nathaniel Brook at | the Angel in Cornhill neer the Royal | Exchange, 1670.

8°: A-G⁸; 55l.; [15], [1], 93, [1] p.

Contents: [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [3 pgs], Dedication, dated 11 June 1670, William Clarke.; [10 pgs], "To The | Reader."; [1 pg], Blank.; 1-93, Text.; [1 pg], Blank.

Rare. This rare economical mineralogy describes the nature, mining and occurrences of saltpeter, and principal component of gun powder.

Contents: I. The name and nature of nitre (pp. 1-15). II. Of the generation and place of nitre (pp. 16-39). III. Of the artificial manner of extracting and refining of nitre (pp. 40-47). IV. Of the virtues and uses of nitre (pp. 48-80). On pages 81-93, there is a section on the importance of nitre in the manufacture of gun powder.

Bibliographical references: LKG: XVI 387. • Wing: C4564.

2. Latin, 1675 [Latin transl.].
Naturalis Historia | Nitri, | Sive | Discursus Philosophicus | De | Natura, Generatione, Loco & artificiali | Extractione Nitri, | Ejsuq; | Virtvtibvs & Vsibvs. | Authore | Guilielmo Clarke Anglo. | 16 [ornament] 75. | Francofurti & Hamburgi, | Impensis Joannis Naumanni | & Georgii Wolffii.

8°: 79, [1] p. Very scarce.

Bibliographical references: BL [B.257.(3.)]. • LKG: XVI 388. • VD17: 23:244435W.

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