A Treatise on Practical Surveying; Which is Demonstrated from Its First Principles. Wherein Every Thing That is Useful and Curious in That Art, is Fully Considered and Explained: particularly three new and very concise methods for determining the arreas [sic] of right-lined figures arithmetically, or by calculation, as well as the geometrical ones heretofore treated of : the whole illustrated with copper-plates....with alterations and amendments adapted to the use of American surveyors

New York: Printed by William A. Davis & Co. for Gaine & Ten Eyck, T. Allen, S. Campbell, E. Duykinck & Co., N. Judah, T. & J. Swords, B. Gomez, New York, M. Carey, Philadelphia, and C.R. & G. Webster, Albany, 1798. Eighth edition. Brown calf with red morocco spine label, gilt title. Boards are detached but fitted into 19th c. sewn vellum wrappers; spine attached, free front endpaper missing, stain to interior edge of title leaf, foxing throughout, contemporary notations on blank leaves at 298, 393, and rear free endpaper, charts browned and frayed at the margins, not affecting images, one chart with small repair to inner margin, not affecting images.. vii, [2], 10-452 pp., 13 folded leaves of plates. 8vo. Error in paging: p. 437 misnumbered 473. The first four editions of Robert Gibson's Surveying were published in Dublin, Ireland beginning in 1739. The first American edition was published in 1785 and is shown as a fourth edition. "Gibson's Surveying was a dominant American text for a half century, and the standard against which others were compared. It appeared on the American scene when there was a need for what it offered, particularly in regard to calculating land areas from metes and bounds surveys," (P.O.B.). A small sheet of penciled survey calculations laid in loose. Interesting contemporary vellum protective covers. All plates present. Evans: 33795. Sabin: see 27321; Rink 2388. (Inventory #: 24135)