4to (281 x 224mm.), original printed wrappers, uncut, in modern chemise and slipcase, light foxing, backstrip slightly torn at foot

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

FIRST EDITION, published posthumously by Joseph Liouville, the editor of the journal. Galois (1811-1832) died young but he had already published papers on number theory. "Galois's terse style, combined with the great originality of his thought and the modernity of his conceptions, contributed as much as the delay in publication to the length of time that passed before Galois's work was understood, recognized at its true worth, and fully developed... It was only with the publication in 1866 of the third edition of Alfred Serret's Cours d'algébre supérieure and, in 1870, of Camille Jordan's Traité des substitutions that group theory and the whole of Galois's oeuvre were truly integrated into the body of mathematics" (DSB V, p.264).