This dataset offers background information on the Essay of D.P.G. Humbert de Superville (1770-1849). It contains an integral part of The Essay and the related background information. The text is enriched with hypertext links to drawings and paintings described in the Essay. Secondary literature about Humbert de Superville as well as some letters to and from him are included. The data have been collected by students during a project in the postgraduate course 'Historical Information Processing' of Leiden University.