"A Compendious System of Astronomy"

Today on the autumn equinox we showcase the work of Margaret Bryan, an English schoolteacher, who in 1797 published "A Compendious System of Astronomy." Bryan taught girls at locations in or near London. Beyond that, and three educational publications on the sciences, little is known of her. Presence in the compendium's subscribers list of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Astronomer Royal testify to her professional accomplishment and social standing.

Shown here are several of Bryan's original illustrations, as well as the frontispiece portrait of her sitting with her daughters. Our copy lacks the frontispiece; this image is from the Linda Hall Library, dedicated to research in science, engineering, and technology, in Kansas City, MO.