_Fol. 1^a_, TITLE: INtrationu_m_ excellentissimus liber perq_uam_
necessarius o_mn_ibus leg_is_ hominib_us_: fere in se continens o_mn_em
medullam diversa_rum_ materia_rum_ ac pl_ac_ito_rum_ tam realiu_m_,
personalium, q_uam_ mixt_orum_. Necno_n_ multorum breuium tam
executionu_m_ q_uam_ aliorum valde vtilium illis hunc librum inspecturis
aut inscrutandis. Que quide_m_ supradicta facilit_er_ possunt inveniri
p_er_ indice_m_ alphabeticu_m_ p_er_uigila_n_ti studio co_n_fectu_m_ &
p_er_ ordine_m_ l_itte_raru_m_ redactu_m_... _Fol. 1^b_, [Full page
woodcut of the king's arms crowned, supported by a dragon and a
greyhound, with a portcullis on either side and a rose and two angels
above.] _Fol. 2^a_: Intrationu_m_ libri Index Alphabetic_us_. _Fol.
10^b_: Finis tabule Intrationum. _Fol. 193^a_, COLOPHON: Explicit opus
excellentissimu_m_ & perutile in se continens multas materias o_mn_ibus
leg_is_ ho_min_ib_us_ p_er_q_uam_ necessarias nouiter Impressum,
correctum, emendatum, & no_n_ minimo labore reuisum London_i_ in vico
vulgariter nu_n_cupato Fletstrete in officina ere ac impensis honesti
viri Ricardi Pynson Regis Impressoris moram suam trahentis sub signo
diui Georgii Anno n_ost_re redemptionis .M.CCCCC.x. Die vero vltima
Mensis Februarii. _Fol. 193^b_, [PRINTER'S DEVICE.] _Fol. 194, blank._
Folio. Sign. Aa^6, Bb^4, a-z, &, 9, A-E^6, F^4. 194 leaves, the
last blank, 11-193 numbered i-clxxxv, but with the omission of li
and liv and other irregularities. Gothic letter, 54 lines to the
page, with marginal side-headings. The title, occupying seventeen
lines of bold heavy-faced type, is printed in red and black and in
the form of an inverted triangle. The _Index Alphabeticus_ is
introduced by a ten-line initial A with a rose above and a
portcullis below the middle bar, found also in the same printer's
Sarum missal of 1520. The other divisions of the index have mostly
four-line woodcut initials, some of grotesque pattern. Five-line
space with guide-letter for the first initial of the text.
Ornaments of four patterns, repeated singly or in combination, are
used to lengthen out the frequent short end lines of paragraphs in
order to give more solidity to the appearance of the page. Three of
the same ornaments are found also on the title-page of Whitinton's
_Vulgaria_, printed by W. de Worde in 1521. Ames-Dibdin ii, 441.
In the present copy the index (sign. Aa. 2-6, Bb. 1-4) is separated from
the title (Aa. 1) and placed at the end of the volume. Name of _Johēs
Coningesby_ written in a sixteenth century hand on the first page of
both text and index. The device is the fourth of Pynson's seven devices
and was in use 1496-1513. Allusion is made in the colophon to an earlier
edition, no copy of which appears to be known. The work was reprinted by
Henry Smythe, London, 1546.
Richard Pynson, a Norman by birth, established himself in London about
1490, taking over, as there is good reason to believe, the business of
Machlinia, a printer of law books, for which his knowledge of
Norman-French especially fitted him. In 1508 he was made Printer to the
King and in that year also he printed two books in roman type, the first
use of that character in England. He is known to have printed at least
371 books, a much smaller number than de Worde, but as a rule larger and
more important books. He is regarded as the best English printer of his
time and the _Liber Intrationum_ is one of his finest books.
Bound in red velvet, with silk linings and gilt edges. Leaf 12-3/4 ×
9-1/4 in.
From the Syston Park library, with the book-plate and monogram of Sir
John Henry Thorold.
27. PLUTARCHUS. Moralia Graece. Venetiis, in ædibus Aldi et Andreæ
soceri, 1509.
TITLE: PLVTARCHI OPVSCVLA. LXXXXII. Index Moralium omnium, & eorum quæ
in ipsis tractantur, habetur in hoc quaternione. Numerus autem
Arithmeticus remittit lectorem ad semipagina_m_, ubi tractantur
singula. [Aldine anchor]. _P. 1050_, COLOPHON: Venetiis, in ædibus Aldi
& Andreæ Asulani Soceri. mense Martio. M. D. IX. [Blank leaf with anchor
on verso.]
Quarto. Sign. *, a-z, &, aa-zz, aaa-sss^8, ttt^6. 8 unnumbered
preliminary leaves (sign * not included in register on p. 1050)
containing title, dedicatory epistle of Aldus to Jacopo Antiquario,
index, four couplets of Jerome Aleander, preface of the editor
Demetrius Doukas (all except title and dedication in Greek); 1050
numbered pages of Greek text, final blank leaf with anchor on
verso. The type is Aldus's fourth Greek font, 46 lines to the page,
five- to eight-line spaces left for initials. The _semipagina_ (the
equivalent of our _page_) to which the index directs the reader,
shows that _pagina_ still had its older meaning _leaf_, and
incidentally that the numbering of the page instead of the leaf was
an innovation. The anchor and dolphin device, the symbol of the
motto _Festina lente_, which first appeared in the Dante of 1502,
is here in its first form, but of the larger size suitable for
folios and enclosed in double lines, on the title-page without
name, but on the last leaf with the addition ALDVS.MA.RO. Although
on the evidence of the chain-lines and the water-mark technically a
quarto, the volume on account of its unusual size was doubtless
printed like a folio on half sheets. Renouard, p. 55. Firmin-Didot,
p. 317.
Plutarch's _Moralia_ belongs to that imposing series of first editions
of the Greek classics which among all the services of Aldus Manutius to
the revival of learning are perhaps his best title to enduring fame.
When he set up his press in 1495 five in all, and but one, Homer, of the
first rank, had been printed. When he died twenty years later his first
editions outnumbered those of all his contemporaries put together, and
the rank was even more significant than the number, for among them were
included Aristotle, Plato, Thucydides, Herodotus, Aristophanes,
Sophocles, Euripides, Pindar and Demosthenes. The Plutarch was printed
from MSS. still preserved in the library of St. Mark.
The Greek type of Aldus was a new departure, based on the cursive or
business handwriting of his day in distinction from the older book-hand
which had served as the model for the first Greek fonts. It gained
immediate popularity and for more than two hundred years, either
directly or through fonts based upon it, dominated the Greek printing
of Europe. At length, mainly because of the ligatures and contractions,
it was supplanted by type of more open and regular forms.
In 1508 Aldus took as partner his father-in-law, Andrea Torresano
d'Asola, a Venetian printer who in 1480 had taken over the business of
Nicolas Jenson. The imprint which had hitherto been _apud Aldum_ or _in
aedibus Aldi_ now became _in aedibus Aldi et Andreae soceri_. After the
death of Aldus in 1515 the press was conducted without change of name by
the surviving partner until his own death in 1529.
Thick paper copy. Leaf 10-3/4 × 7 in. On p. 1050 is written _Collegii
Societatis Jesu Embricae 1605_.
From the library of Sir J.H. Thorold of Syston Park, with book-plate.
Bound by R. Storr, Grantham, in red morocco, gilt edges, with anchor on
sides. The "Dictionary of English Book-collectors," pt. 2, calls
attention to the Aldine anchor (made more realistic by an end of rope
cable twisted about it) stamped by the Grantham bookbinders Messrs.
Storr & Ridge upon many of the Thorold books, "not only those bound by
themselves, but also those bound by far better men." Examples of both
kinds are found in the present collection.
As an illustration of the first Greek type of Aldus there is joined to
this collection a finely executed manuscript facsimile on vellum of his
_Musaeus_ of 1495, his second book (preceded by the Grammar of
Lascaris), but the first in which the font appeared in its completed
state. From the Syston Park library. Bound by Bozérian Jeune, in blue
morocco extra.
28. SCRIPTORES REI RUSTICAE. Venetiis, in ædibus Aldi et Andreae soceri,
1514.
TITLE: LIBRI DE RE RVSTICA. M. CATONIS LIB. I. M. TERENTII VARRONIS LIB.
III. L. IVNII MODERATI COLVMELLAE LIB. XII. Eiusdem de arboribus liber
separatus ab alijs, quare autem id factum fuerit: ostenditur in
epistola ad lectorem. PALLADII LIB. XIIII. De duobus dierum generibus:
simulq_ue_ de umbris, et horis, quæ apud Palladium, in alia epistola ad
lectorem. Georgij Alexandrini enarrationes priscarum dictionum, quæ in
his libris Catonis: Varronis: Columellæ. [Aldine anchor]. Hos libros
Pontificis etiam Leonis decreto, nequis alius usquam locorum impune
imprimat, cautum est. _Fol. 308^a_: COLOPHON: VENETIIS IN AEDIBVS ALDI
ET ANDREAE SOCERI MENSE MAIO M.D.XIIII. [Aldine anchor on verso].
Quarto. Sign. *, aa, bb^8, cc^{10}, a-h^8, i^4, k-z, A-Q^8. 8
unnumbered preliminary leaves containing title, privilege of Leo X.
countersigned by P. Bembo, papal secretary, preface of the editor,
Fra Giocondo, addressed to Leo X., _Aldus lectori_ (two epistles,
the first relating to the position of the _De arboribus_ of
Columella, an independent treatise, in previous editions inserted
in his _De re rustica_ as liber lii, but here correctly placed
after that work, the second, to the hours of Palladius, varying in
length with the seasons, and the use of the gnomon in determining
them), _errata_; 26 unnumbered leaves (preceded by a second title
with anchor and mention of the privileges of Alexander VI., Julius
II. and Leo. X.) containing explanations of unfamiliar words and
table of contents, last leaf blank; 308 numbered leaves of text,
Sign. * is not included in the register on fol. 308^a and being
followed by a second title-page its absence, if accidentally
omitted, might pass unnoticed. Italic letter, 39 lines to the page,
six- to seven-line spaces with guide-letters left for the initials
of the thirty books, which in the present copy are supplied in gold
and colors. Numerous paragraph-marks in alternate red and blue.
Ruled in red. Renouard, p. 66. Firmin-Didot, p. 370.
The italic type of Aldus, a cursive or semi-cursive roman, the
counterpart of his cursive Greek, was modeled as he himself informs us
on the handwriting of Petrarch _a lettra per lettra_. It first appeared
in the Vergil of 1501, the first of his octavo series of classics and
only three months later, as was but just, in _Le cose volgari_ of
Petrarch. It had at the outset, corresponding to the Greek ligatures,
many double letters and even groups of three cast on the same body,
which were for the most part eliminated later by Paulus Manutius.
Originally it consisted only of lower-case letters and borrowed the
capitals of the roman font, using for economy of space small capitals
which DeVinne points out as the useful invention of Aldus. Aldus was
sensible of the deficiency and the last clause of his will was a request
to his partner, Andrea, to have suitable capitals made by the celebrated
engraver, Giulio Campagnola. It was, however, not until 1558 that they
were finally supplied by Paulus, in connection with a new italic font.
What has now ceased to be anything more than a useful auxiliary type was
by Aldus employed as a text type, a chief recommendation being that it
was more condensed than the roman and enabled him to greatly reduce the
price of his books by making an octavo do the work of a quarto or folio.
In 1501 he printed six, and in 1502 eleven octavos, whereas all his
earlier books, with one unimportant exception, had been of the larger
forms.
In 1496 the Venetian Senate granted to Aldus protection for his Greek
type and the books printed with it for the period of twenty years, and
in 1502 a like privilege covering both his italic and Greek type for ten
years. A similar grant made by Alexander VI. in 1502 was renewed by
Julius II. in January, 1513, for fifteen years and confirmed by his
successor, Leo X., in December of the same year.
From the library of Robert Samuel Turner, sold in 1888.
Bound in red morocco extra, with gold tooling in the Grolier style,
edges gilt over red. Leaf 8-1/2 × 5-1/4 in. Book-stamp on verso of last
leaf: "Ex libris J.B.P.H. Caqué, D.M. Rem. 1775".
29. CICERO, MARCUS TULLIUS. Rhetorica. Venetiis, in ædibus Aldi et
Andreae soceri, 1521.
TITLE: IN HOC VOLVMINE HAEC CONTINENTVR. Rhetoricorum ad C. Herennium
lib. IIII. M.T. Ciceronis de inuentione lib. II. Eiusdem de oratore ad
Quintum fratrem lib. III. Eiusdem de claris oratoribus, q_ui_ dicitur
Brutus lib. I. Eiusdem Orator ad Brutum lib. I. Eiusdem Topica ad
Trebatium lib. I. Eiusdem oratoriæ partitiones lib. I. Eiusdem de optimo
genere oratorum præfatio quædam. Index rerum notabilium, quæ toto opere
continentur, per ordinem alphabeti. [Aldine anchor] Hos libros etiam
Pontificum Alexandri, Iulij, ac Leonis demum decretis, neq_u_is alius
usquam locorum impune imprimat, cautum est. _Fol. 245^a_, COLOPHON:
VENETIIS IN AEDIBVS ALDI, ET ANDREAE SOCERI MENSE OCTOBRI M.D.XXI.
[Blank leaf with anchor on verso].
Quarto. Sign. *, **, a-k^8, l^4, m-z, A-G^8, H^{10}. 16 unnumbered
preliminary leaves, containing preface by Aldus addressed to Andrea
Navagero and alphabetical index (the blank last leaf wanting in
this copy); 245 numbered leaves of text and final blank leaf with
anchor. Sign. * and ** have eight leaves each, not ten as stated in
the register on p. 245. Italic letter, 39 lines to the page, three-
to seven-line spaces with guide-letters left for initials. The
anchor is of the second, somewhat ungraceful, pattern in use
1519-1524, after which there was for some years a return to the
first form. Renouard, p. 93.
Reprinted, with only the addition of the index, from the 1514 edition of
Aldus. In the preface is found the often quoted inscription placed over
the door of Aldus to discourage the idle visitor: _Quisquis es: rogat te
Aldus etiam: atque etiam: ut, si quid est, quod a se velis: perpaucis
agas_, etc. The edition of 1533, with the imprint _in ædibus haeredum
Aldi Manutii Romani & Andreae Asulani Soceri_ and a short preface by
Paulus Manutius (it was his first book as director of the press) is also
essentially unchanged, but his edition of 1546, in octavo, was
thoroughly revised in text and accompanied by a folio volume of variorum
commentaries.
Bound by Roger Payne, in blue morocco, gilt edges, with cipher of Sir
Mark Masterman Sykes on back, at whose sale in 1824 it brought
£1.11s.6d. The Syston Park copy with book-plate, and monogram of Sir
John Hayford Thorold. Leaf 8-1/2 × 5-1/4 in.
30. CELSUS, AURELIUS CORNELIUS. De medicina. SERENUS, QUINTUS. De
medicina. Venetiis, in ædibus Aldi et Andreæ soceri, 1528.
TITLE: IN HOC VOLVMINE HAEC CONTINENTVR. AVRELII CORNELII CELSI
MEDICINAE LIBRI .VIII. QVAM EMENDATISSIMI, GRAECIS ETIAM OMNIBVS
DICTIONIBVS RESTITVTIS. QVINTI SERENI LIBER DE MEDICINA ET IPSE
CASTIGATISS. ACCEDIT INDEX IN CELSVM ET SERENVM SANE QVAM COPIOSVS.
[Aldine anchor] Venetorum decreto, ne quis aliquo in loco Venetæ
ditionis hos libros imprimat, impressosue alibi uendat, cautum est.
_Fol. 1^a_: AVRELII CORNELII CELSI ARTIVM LIBER SEXTVS, IDEM MEDICINAE
LIBER PRIMVS. _Fol. 164^a_: COLOPHON: VENETIIS IN AEDIBVS ALDI, ET
ANDREAE ASVLANI SOCERI MENSE MARTIO. M.D.XXVIII. [Aldine anchor on
verso].
Quarto. 8 preliminary unnumbered leaves containing title,
dedicatory epistle of the editor, Giovanni Baptista Egnazio, to
Cardinal Hercules Gonzaga and index; 164 numbered leaves of text
(fol. 148 blank). Italic letter, three- to seven-line spaces with
guide-letter left for initials. Renouard, p. 105.
The _De Medicina_ of Celsus is the second and only surviving part of his
Encyclopædia entitled _Artes_, in five divisions. The first division,
_De Agricultura_, consisted of five books, so that the sixth book of
_Artes_ was at the same time the first of _De Medicina_.
The Syston Park copy, uncut. Bound by Roger Payne in red morocco. Leaf
9 × 5-1/2 in.
31. CICERO, MARCUS TULLIUS. Epistolæ ad Atticum, ad M. Brutum, ad
Quintum fratrem. Venetiis, apud Aldi filios, 1540.
TITLE: M.TVLLII CICERONIS EPISTOLAE ad Atticum, ad M. Brutum, ad
Quintu_m_ fratrem, summa diligentia castigatæ, ut in ijs menda, quæ
plurima erant, paucissima jam supersint. PAVLI MANVTII IN EASDEM
EPISTOLAS Scholia, quibus abditi locorum sensus ostenduntur, cum
explicatione castigationum, quæ in his epistolis pene innumerabilis
factæ sunt. [Aldine anchor] PAVLVS MANVTIVS ALDI F. VENETIIS, M.D.XL.
_Fol. 344^a_, COLOPHON: APVD ALDI FILIOS. VENETIIS, M.D.XL. MENSE
AVGVSTO. [Aldine anchor on verso]
Octavo. 2 preliminary leaves containing title and dedication by
Paulus Manutius to Guillaume Pellicier, Bishop of Montpellier, 331
numbered leaves of text, 10 unnumbered leaves of translations of
the Greek passages, conjectural emendations which the editor "would
not hesitate to adopt it he should ever find an ancient MS. to
confirm them" and a final leaf with colophon and anchor. The
Scholia, 24 unnumbered leaves, have a separate title, with notice
of copyright granted by Paul III. (the fourth pope to grant this
privilege) and the Venetian senate; colophon and anchor repeated on
last leaf. Italic letter, 30 lines to the page, five-line spaces
with guide-letters left for initials. Renouard, p. 120.
Except for the interval 1533-6 the press was inactive from 1529 to 1540,
on account of dissensions between the heirs of Andrea and Aldus. The
partnership having been dissolved the press was reopened in 1540 by the
sons of Aldus (_apud Aldi filios_) under the direction of the youngest,
Paulus Manutius (1512-74), who restored and added to its lustre. Of
Cicero, his favorite author, he revised the entire text and printed
repeated editions of some of the works: e.g. of the _Epistolae ad
Atticum, ad M. Brutum, ad Quintum fratrem_ not less than ten, of which
this is the first. The brief scholia he expanded later into full and
valuable commentaries, on the Letters to Atticus in 1547, on the Letters
to Brutus and Quintus in 1557.
It was Petrarch who in 1345 discovered in a Verona MS. the long lost
Letters to Atticus, Brutus and Quintus and copied them with his own
hand. Both the MS. and Petrarch's copy are lost. But of the MS. another
transcript, procured by Petrarch's friend Salutati in 1389, is preserved
in the Laurentian Library, and of the Petrarch copy we have here a
replica in the type which Aldus characterized as _manum mentiens_.
From the Syston Park library, with book-plate. Bound by Roger Payne, in
blue morocco, gilt edges. Leaf 6-1/2 × 4 in.