LUCAS, Jean-André-Henri.
(1780 – 1825)
Lucas spent much of his youthful free time roaming the Musuém d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris and reading G.L. Buffon's monumental Histoire Naturelle (Paris, 1743-93). He decided early on to pursue a career in natural history and most especially mineralogy. He became officially associated with the Muséum Histoire Naturelle in Paris as a curator and purchasing agent. Because of his extensive knowledge, Lucas was hired to replace E.L.M. Patrin as editor of Déterville's Nouveau Dictionnaire de Historie Naturelle (36 vols., Paris, 1816-9). In this capacity, Lucas performed the job with skill, correcting many of his predecessor's errors, and proving himself a very able naturalist. He became interested in the study of Italian volcanoes, particularly those near Naples and on the Island of Sicily. He published first hand accounts of the eruptions of Mt. Ætna and Vesuvius.
Biographical references: ABF: I 681, 118-123. • Biographie Universelle: 25, 411. • Feller, Biographie Universelle, 1851. • ISIS, 1913-65: 2, 116. • Lacroix, A., "Une famille de bons serviteurs de l'Académie des sciences et du Jardin des Plantes, les Lucas", Bulletin du Muséum National d'Histiore Naturelle [Paris], 10, 446-71 [refers to this Lucas?]. • Nouvelle Biographie Générale (Hoefer): 32, 126. • Poggendorff: 1, col. 1509. • WBI.
1. French, 1806-13 [Issue A].
Tableau Méthodique | Des | Espèces Minérales, | Presentant | La Série complète de leurs Caractères, et la | Nomenclature de leurs Variétés, | Extrait Du Traité De Minéralogie De M. Haüy, | Et Augmenté Des Nouvelles Découvertes; | Auquel On Ajoint | L'Indication des Gisemens de chaque Espèces, et la | Description abrégée de la Collection de Minéraux | du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle; | Par J.-A.-H. Lucas, | Ajoint à son Père, Garde des Galeries du Muséum | d'Histoire Naturelle et Agent de l'Institut National. | [rule] | Première Partie. | [rule] | Imprimé avec l'Approbation de l'Assemblée-Administrative des | Professeurs du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. | A Paris, | Chez Levrault, Schœll et Cie., rue de Seine, N-o. 12; | et à Strasbourg, chez Levrault et Cie. | [double rule] | 1806.
Tableau Méthodique | ... | Seconde Partie | Contenant: la Distribution méthodique des Espèces | minérales, extrait du Tableau cristallographique pu- | blié par M. Haüy en 1809, leurs Synonymies Française, | Allemande, Italienne, Espagnole et Anglaise, avec l'In- | dication de leurs Gisemens; auxquelles on a joint la | Description abrégée de la Collection de Minéraux du | Muséum d'Histoire naturelle et celle des Espèces et des | Variétés observées depuis 1806 jusqu'en 1812. | Par J.A. H. Lucas, | ... | 1813.
2 vols. [Vol 1: 1806] 8°: π4 A-D4 E3 1-464 473; 210l.; [8], [j]-xxxviij, [1]-372 p., frontispiece, one folding plate. [Vol 2: 1813] 8°: π2 A-C8 1-368 376; 320l.; [4], [i]-xlvij, [1], [1]-587, [1] p. Page size: 194 x 120 mm.
Contents: [Vol 1] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso "De L'Imprimerie De Duminil-Lesueur, | ..."; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [1 pg], Dedication to Rene Just Haüy. [1 pg], Blank.; [2 pgs], Testimonials to the merits of Lucas' work, one signed by Haüy.; [j]-x, "Introduction."; [xi]-xv, "Exposition | Abrégée | De La Méthode De M. Haüy."; [xvi], "Avis Aux Minéralogistes."; [xvii]-[xxiv], "Caractères | Minéralogiques, | Principes Composans, | Et | Distribution Méthodique | Des Minéraux; | Extraits Du Traité De Minéralogie."; [xxv]-xxxviij, "Distribution | Des Minéraux | Par Classes, Ordres, Genres Et Espèces."; [1]-187, Text.; [188], Blank.; [189]-211, "Premier Appendice." [212], Blank.; [213]-223, "Second Appendice."; [224], Blank.; 225-237, "Troisième Apppendice."; [238], Blank.; [239]-241, "Additions Et Corrections." [342], Blank.; [342]-348, "Tableau | Des Formes Cristallines | Des Espèces Minérales, | Extrait Du Traité De Minéralogie De M. Haüy; | Corrigé et augmenté d'après de nouvelles Observations."; [349]-364, "Table | De La Première Partie."; 365, Errata.; [366], Blank.; [367]-372, "Table Alphabétique | Des | Substances Minérales, | ..."
[Vol 2] [2 pgs], Half title page, verso "De L'Imprimerie de L. Hausmann, rue de la Harpe, n. 80."; [2 pgs], Title page, verso blank.; [i-ii], Testimonials to the merits of Lucas' work.; [iii]-viij, "Introduction."; [ix]-xiij, "Disposition | De La | Collection De Minéraux | Du Muséum D'Histoire Naturelle."; [xiv], Blank.; [xv]-xxix, "Distribution Méthodique | Des | Espèces Minérales, | Adoptée par M. Haüy, en 1809, | ..."; xxx-xxxj, "Agrégats De Différens Mineraux | Et | Produits Des Volcans."; [xxxij], "Les numéros qui précèdent les noms des Espèces..."; xxxiij-xxxv, "Traduction Allemande | des Noms Spécifiques de M. Haüy, | ..."; xxxvj-xxxviij, "Traduction Italienne | des | noms Spécifiques De M. Haüy, | Par M. Poggi."; xxxix-xlj, "Traduction Espagnole | Des | Noms Spécifiques De M. Haüy, | Par M***."; xlij-xliv, "Traduction Anglaise | Des | Noms Spécifiques De M. Haüy, | Par M. Russell."; xlv-xlvij, "Traduction Latine | Des | Noms Specifiques De M. Haüy."; [1 pg], Blank.; [1]-517, Text.; [518], Blank.; [519]-545, "Tableau Synoptique | D'Oreognosie, | ou | Connoissance des Montagnes ou Roches, | Donné par M. Tondi, | Dans san dernier Cours particulier, en 1811."; [546], Blank.; [547]-580, "Tables | De La Seconde Partie."; [581]-586, "Table Alphabétique | Des | Substances Minérals, | ..."; 587, Errata.; [1 pg], Blank.
Plates: The frontispiece consists of one of two portraits of Haüy. The more common impression consisting of an oval rendering within a rectangular frame showing the upper torso of Haüy facing left and holding a contact goniometer upon a rhombohedron of Iceland spar. A description contained within a rectangular frame immediately under the portrait reads, "Réné Just Haüy, | de la Légio d'Honneur et de l'Institut National; | Professeur de Minéralogie au Muséum d'Histoire naturelle. | Né à St. Just; en Picardie, le 28 Février 1743." The plate is signed "Traduit du dessin de F. Massard, par R. L'Elenor. 1804." In the lower margin of the plate is the text, "Ou savant Auteur des Traités de Physique et de Minéralogie, | J.A.H. Lucas sen Elect." In some volumes, a more uncommon frontispiece occurs. This impression shows the head and shoulders of Réné Just Haüy together with those of his brother, Valentine [1745–1822]. Valentine is in front of his brother. No description of the subjects appears on the plate, but the style suggests this portrait to be the work of Ambroise Tardieu [1788–1841].
The folding plate ...
Very scarce. First issue of a major work that appeared in support of Haüy's theories. The publication in 1801 of Haüy's landmark Traite de Mineralogie (4 vols., Paris, 1801) created a tremendous dialog within mineralogical science. Some believed wholeheartedly in Haüy's theories and proposals, while others supported views, most prominently the German school based on Werner's ideas. For the most part Lucas successfully attempts in the first part of this work to support Haüy and counter the resistance to his theories. At the same time, he also provides the reader with what is essentially an abridgment of Haüy's master work. After the introduction, Lucas gives a short exposition of Haüy's methods, and an outline of the mineralogical characteristics, principal components and the method of distributing minerals within the classification extracted and condensed directly from Haüy's work. Lucas then provides a synopsis of the minerals distributed into classes, orders, families and species. The text continues with a more detailed description of the minerals, properties and system of classification. At the end of the volume is a table listing the crystallization forms of each mineral species, "corrected and augmented with new observations."
It required seven years for Lucas to complete and publish the second part of the Tableau Méthodique. Part of the delay was surely due to the chaotic state of mineralogical science during this period. This was the time when new discoveries were routinely being made because of advances in crystallography with the reflecting goniometer and the improvements in chemical analysis and atomic theory. Haüy had published the Tableau Comparatif (Paris, 1809) in an attempt to support his original theories and provide a more recent listing of mineral species according to his classification system. Lucas begins the second part with a general description of the collection of minerals in the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. He then provides a synopsis of the distribution of minerals adopted from Haüy's 1809 work. A discussion and description of the minerals that aggregate into products of volcanoes is presented. This is followed by several lists that translate the mineral species names from French into German, Italian, Spanish, English, and Latin. For this purpose, Lucas had gathered help from the Italian author Giuseppe Poggi [1761-1841] and an Englishman by the name of Russell. The text then provides detailed descriptions of the mineral species, some not published before, and there placement with in the Haüyian classification. At the volumes conclusion is a table providing descriptions of various mountain rocks. This is an augmented abridgment of Matteo Tondi's [1762-1835] Tableau Synoptique d'Oréognosie ou Connaissance des Montagnes ou Roches (Paris, 1811).
Bibliographical references: BL. • CBN: 101, cols. 277-8. • Dana's 7th (Bibliography): 76. • Freilich Sale Catalog: no. 371. • Hoover Collection: no. 548. • Leonard's Taschenbuch: 2 (1808), 355 [review, part one only]. • LKG: XII 161. • NUC: 344, 207 [NL 0534590]. • Ward & Carozzi, Geology Emerging, 1984: no. 1403 [part one only].
2. French, 1806 [Issue B].
Tableau Méthodique | Des | Espèces Minérales, | Première Partie, | Ornée Du Portrait De M. Haüy, | Contenant: la Distribution méthodique des Espèces | minérales, l'Indication de leurs Caractères, et la Nomen- | clature de leurs Variétés, extrait du Traité de Miné- | ralogie publié de M. Haüy en 1801; auxquelles on a | joint la Description des Espèces et des Variétés décou- | vertes depuis la publication de ce Traité jusqu'en 1806. | Par J.A.H. Lucas, | [...3 lines of titles and memberships...] | [tapered rule] | Paris, | D'Hautel, Libraire, rue de la Harpe, no . 80. | [ornate rule] | 1806.
Very scarce. Apparently, two variant issues of the first volume of 1806 appear to exist. The issues differ from each other by a substantial change in the wording of the title page, together with smaller changes in the beginning text. There is no evidence to suggest if these two issues were published simultaneously or at different times. A search of various bibliographies suggests that the publishing firm of Levrault, Schœll et Cie. ceased to exist around 1806, perhaps due to the death of Schœll. If this is the case, an argument could be made that the publishing house of Hautel bought out the business including the remaining unsold and unbound stock of the first part of the Tableau Méthodique. A new title page was created with the imprint of Hautel, and subsequently added to volumes creating the variant, perhaps later issue. The text of the volume remains substantially unchanged. As stated earlier, no evidence has been uncovered to suggest which issue if either is first; however, on the whim of this bibliographer, the copies with the second title page are considered the second issue.
3. French, 1818.
De la minéralogie. Paris, A. Lanoe, 1818.
8°: 86 p. tables. "Article extrait du XXIe volume du Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle (2e édition), publié par M. Deterville." Very scarce.
4. French, 1803.
Tableau methodique des espepes minerales, offrant l'indication de leurs caracteres et la nomenclature de leurs varietes, extrait du traite de mineralogie de Haüy. Paris et Strasbourg, 1803.
8°: Very scarce.
Bibliographical references: LKG: XII 160.
.