Geodesy.- Maire (Christophe) and Ruggiero Giuseppe Boscovich. De litteraria expeditione per Pontificiam ditionem ad dimetiendos duos meridiani gradus et corrigendeam mappam geographicam, first edition, half-title, title in red and black with woodcut device, woodcut initials and decorations, 4 folding engraved plates and map on 3 folding engraved sheets, some foxing and browning, marginal repair to first leaf of dedication, minor worming to endpapers, just slightly encroaching on title and margin of final map sheet, contemporary vellum, head of spine torn and slight worming to spine head and foot, [Honeyman 2115 without the map], 4to, Rome, Nicolaus and Marcus Palearini, 1755.

⁂ Important work on the shape of the earth, confirming the Newtonian theory that it was ellipsoid and flattened at the poles. Pope Benedict XIV commissioned the two scientists to measure an arc of the meridian and create a new map of the papal states. The map would appear to have been issued separately and it is rarely found complete with the accompanying text volume.