"Description des forces mecaniques, les poids" Weights, Illustrations of natural philosophy Mechanical Powers, 1850

"Description des forces mecaniques, les poids" Weights, Illustrations of natural philosophy Mechanical Powers, 1850. Hand coloured engraved plate describing Mechanical Powers by John Emslie taken from a series of books called 'Introduction to natural philosophy, comprising a popular account of the properties of bodies; mechanical powers; motion and machinery. The sciences of hydrostatics; hydraulics; pneumatics; acoustics; optics; electricity; magnetism and chemistry. These books were published and probably written by James Reynolds of 174 Strand in London in 1850 in response to the popular demand for information on the developments taking place in science and engineering as a result of the Industrial Revolution. These superbly illustrated images with an accompanying text were presented loose in a portfolio so that they could be passed around a class or lecture room or used as posters. ©SSPL/Science Museum