1864 ORIGINAL CIVIL WAR ERA CYPHER BOOK OF COMPLEX MATHEMATICS WITH A HEAVY EMPHASIS ON ASTRONOMY

UNITED STATES, 1864. On offer is a most unusual, original notebook dating from the middle of the 19th Century. The notebook measures 8 inches by 6 inches. It contains 44 pages and is 90% complete. The hardboard cover has separated from the spine and at some point in the past, an attempt was made to secure it with tape. All pages are attached. There is evidence that some pages were torn out in the past. The handwriting is copperplate and legible. The notebook belonged to Beatrice C Stains. It principally contains notes, calculations and charts relating to Astronomy. However, in some pages, she has either pasted in copies of poems or written in some in her own hand. Context suggests that she is an American. Casual research did not turn up any additional biographical information. The notebook is a type of cipher book. These books went by various names: cyphering books, copy books, etc. By the late 19th/early 20th century, the advent of commercially-produced text books led to the demise of student-prepared cipher books. Many of the powerful abstract mathematical and math-related theories in use today originated in the 19th century, In the 18th and early 19th centuries, when paper was still expensive and textbooks not generally available, students oftentimes had to write out their own texts by hand. Following their studies, these copy books would be kept for future reference. The teacher was likely guided by one of the many mathematics or astronomy textbooks in use in the early 1800s. He or she would have expected the student to memorize rules and examples and thus learn how to carry out the operations for later use in practical circumstances. Stains would have copied down the cases to follow later rather than simply writing out a general principle. The teacher probably also expected the student to copy the material neatly. This not only offered an opportunity to practice his or her penmanship but prepared a reference book for use as an adult. 'Cases' are presented as problems with a written description of the problem to be solved. That would be followed by a detailed working of the mathematics of the problem to arrive at a solution. What also makes this notebook interesting is the inclusion of a number of literature pieces. These poems are romantic types such as Just Before The Battle, Mother and The Sailor's Weeping Bride. This is a superb example of the key learning tool by which subjects such as astronomy were taught in the 19th century. Without a doubt, it helped convey a real sense of ownership of the principles inscribed within and were valued possessions for many students. A researcher studying the roots of modern astronomy and the teaching of astronomy would find this a valuable reference work. Contemporary research has shown that cipher books are not widely available any more as a tool for research and study. This volume is a classic example of that lost learning instrument.. Fair. Illus. by /. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. Manuscript.