in a fine state of preservation. There is only one illumination in each
volume; but that "one" is perhaps the most perfect specimen which can be
seen of that open, undulating, arabesque kind of border, which is rather
common in print as well as in MS., towards the end of the fifteenth
century. These six illuminations, for invention, delicacy, and brilliancy
of finish, are infinitely beyond any thing of the kind which I have seen.
The vellum is perfectly beautiful. To state which of these illuminations is
the most attractive, would be a difficult task; but if you were at my
elbow, I should direct your particular attention to that at the beginning
of the IXth book of the IVth Decad--especially to the opposite ornament;
where two green fishes unite round a circle of gold, with the title, in
golden capitals, in the centre. O Matthias Corvinus, thou wert surely the
EMPEROR of Book Collectors!
BOOK OF BLAZONRY, or of ARMS. This is an enormous folio MS. full of
heraldic embellishments relating to the HOUSE of Austria. Among these
embellishments, the author of the text--who lived in the XVIth century, and
who was a very careful compiler--has preserved a genuine, original portrait
of LEOPOLD de SEMPACH, of the date of 1386. It is very rarely that you
observe portraits of this character, or form, introduced into MSS. of so
early a period. A nobler heraldic volume probably does not exist. It is
bound in wood, covered with red velvet; and the edges are gilt, over
coloured armorial ornaments.
From _such_ a volume, the step is both natural and easy to ROMANCES. Sir
TRISTAN shall lead the way. Here are _three_ MSS. of the feats of that
Knight of the Round Table. The first is of the XIIIth century; written in
three columns, on a small thick gothic letter. It has some small, and
perfect illuminations. This MS. became the property of Prince Eugene. It
was taken to Paris, but restored: and has yet the French imperial eagle
stamped in red ink. It is indeed a "gloriously ponderous folio."
A second MS. of the SAME ROMANCE is written in two columns, in a full short
gothic letter. It is very large, and the vellum is very perfect. The
illuminations, which are larger than those in the preceding MS. are
evidently of the early part of the xvth century. This book also belonged to
Prince Eugene. It is doubtless a precious volume. A third MS. executed in
pale ink, in a kind of secretary gothic letter, is probably of the latter
end of the XIVth century. The illuminations are only slightly tinted.
BRUT D'ANGLETTERRE. I should apprehend this MS. to be of the early part of
the XIVth century. It is executed in a secretary gothic letter, in double
columns, and the ink is much faded in colour. It has but one illumination,
which is at the beginning, and much faded. This was also Prince Eugene's
copy; and was taken to Paris, but restored.
The last, but perhaps the most valuable in general estimation, of the MSS.
examined by me, was the AUTOGRAPH of the GERUSALEMME LIBERATA, or, as
formerly called, CONQUISTATA,[116] of Tasso: upon which no accomplished
Italian can look but with feelings almost approaching to rapture. The MS.
is imperfect; beginning with the xxxth canto of the second book, and ending
with the LXth canto of the twenty-third book.
The preceding will probably give you some little satisfaction respecting
the MSS. in this very precious collection. I proceed therefore immediately
to an account of the PRINTED BOOKS; premising that, after the accounts of
nearly similar volumes, described as being in the libraries previously
visited, you must not expect me to expatiate quite so copiously as upon
former occasions. I have divided the whole into four classes; namely, 1.
THEOLOGY; 2. CLASSICS; 3. MISCELLANEOUS, LATIN; (including Lexicography) 4.
ITALIAN; and 5. FRENCH and GERMAN, exclusively of Theology. I have also
taken the pains of arranging each class in alphabetical order; so that you
will consider what follows to be a very sober, and a sort of
bibliopolistic, catalogue.
THEOLOGY.
AUGUSTINUS (Sts.) DE CIV. DEI. _Printed in the Soubiaco Monastery, 1467_.
Folio. A fine large copy; but not equal to that in the Royal Library at
Paris or in Lord Spencer's collection. I should think, however, that this
may rank as the third copy for size and condition.
---- _Printed by Jenson._
1475. Folio. A very beautiful book, printed upon white and delicate VELLUM.
Many of the leaves have, however, a bad colour. I suspect this copy has
been a good deal cropt in the binding.
AUGUSTINI S. EPISTOLÆ. LIBRI XIII. CONFESSIONUM. 1475. Quarto. This volume
is printed in long lines, in a very slender roman type, which I do not just
now happen to remember to have seen before; and which _almost_ resembles
the delicacy of the types of the first _Horace_, and the _Florus_ and
_Lucan_--so often noticed: except that the letters are a little too round
in form. The present is a clean, sound copy; unbound.
BIBLIA LATINA. This is the _Mazarine_ Edition; supposed to be the first
Bible ever printed. The present is far from being a fine copy; but
valuable, from possessing the four leaves of a Rubric which I was taught to
believe were peculiar to the copy at Munich.[117]
BIBLIA LATINA; _Printed by Pfister_, folio, 3 volumes. I was told that the
copy here was upon vellum; but inaccurately. The present was supplied by
the late Mr. Edwards; but is not free from stain and writing. Yet, although
nothing comparable with the copy in the Royal Library at Paris, or with
that in St. James's Place, it is nevertheless a very desirable
acquisition--and is quite perfect.
---- _Printed by Fust and Schoeffher._ 1462.
Folio. 2 vols. UPON VELLUM. This was Colbert's copy, and is large, sound,
and desirable.
---- _Printed by Mentelin._ Without Date. Perhaps the rarest of all Latin
Bibles; of which, however, there is a copy in the royal library at Paris,
and in the public libraries of Strasbourg and Munich. I should conjecture
its date to be somewhere about 1466.[118] The present is a clean and sound,
but much cropt copy.
---- _Printed by Sweynhyem and Pannartz._ Folio. 1471-2, 2 vols. A
remarkably fine large copy, almost uncut: in modern russia binding. This
must form a portion of the impression by the same printers, with the
Commentary of De Lyra, in five folio volumes.
BIBLIA LATINA; _Printed by Hailbrun_. 1476. Folio. Here are _two_ copies;
of which one is UPON VELLUM, and the other upon paper: both beautiful--but
the vellum copy is, I think, in every respect, as lovely a book as Lord
Spencer's similar copy. It measures eleven inches one sixteenth by seven
one eighth. It has, however, been bound in wretched taste, some fifty years
ago, and is a good deal cropt in the binding. The paper copy, in 2 vols. is
considerably larger.
BIBLIA LATINA. _Printed by Jenson_. 1479. Folio. Here, again, are two
copies; one upon paper, the other UPON VELLUM. Of these, the vellum copy is
much damaged in the principal illumination, and is also cropt in the
binding. The paper copy can hardly be surpassed, if equalled.
BIBLIA ITALICA. MALHERBI. _Printed in the month of October,_ 1471. Folio. 2
vols. Perhaps one of the finest and largest copies in existence; measuring,
sixteen inches five eighths by eleven. It is bound (if I remember rightly)
in blue morocco.
BIBLIA HEBRAICA. _Printed at Soncino_. 1488. Folio. FIRST EDITION OF THE
HEBREW BIBLE. Of all earliest impressions of the sacred text, this is
doubtless the MOST RARE. I am not sure that there are _two_ copies of it in
England or in France. In our own country, the Bodleian library alone
possesses it. This is a beautiful, clean copy, but cropt a little too much
in the binding. It has had a journey to _Paris_, and gained a coat of blue
morocco by the trip. The binder was Bozerain. This was the first time that
I had seen a copy of the FIRST HEBREW BIBLE. There was only one _other_
feeling to be gratified:--that _such_ a copy were safely lodged in St.
James's Place.
BIBLIA POLONICA. 1563. Folio. The Abbé Strattman, at Mölk, had apprised me
of the beauty and value of this copy--of one of the scarcest impressions of
the sacred text. This copy was, in fact, a PRESENTATION COPY to the Emperor
Maximilian II., from Prince Radzivil the Editor and Patron of the work. It
is rather beautifully white, for the book--which is usually of a very
sombre complexion. The leaves are rather tender. It is bound in red velvet;
but it is a pity they do not keep it in a case--as the back is wearing away
fast. Notwithstanding the Abbé Strattman concluded his account of this book
with the exclamation of--"Il n'y en a pas comme celui-là," I must be
allowed to say, that Lord Spencer may yet indulge in a strain of triumph...
on the possession of the copy, of this same work, which I secured for him
at Augsbourg;[119] and which is, to the full, as large, as sound, and in
every respect as genuine a book.
JERONIMI STI. EPISTOLÆ. _Printed by Sweynheym and Pannartz._ 1468. Folio. 2
vols. A magnificent and unique copy, UPON VELLUM. "There are ONLY SIX
VELLUM Sweynheyms and Pannartz in the world,"--said the Abbé Strattman to
me, in the library of the Monastery of Mölk. "Which be they?" replied I.
"They are these"--answered he ... "the _Cæsar_, _Aulus Gellius_, and
_Apuleius_--ach the edit. prin.--of the date of 1469: and the _Epistles of
St Jerom_, of 1468--all which four books you will see at Vienna:--the
_Livy_, which Mr. Edwards bought; and the _Pliny_ of 1470, which is in the
library of Lord Spencer. These are the only known vellum Sweynheyms and
Pannartz." I looked at the volumes under consideration, therefore, with the
greater attention. They are doubtless noble productions; and this copy is,
upon the whole, fine and genuine. It is not, however, so richly ornamented,
nor is the vellum quite so white, as Lord Spencer's Pliny above mentioned.
Yet it is bound in quiet old brown calf, having formerly belonged to
Cardinal Bessarion, whose hand writing is on the fly leaf. It measures
fifteen inches three eighths, by eleven one sixteenth.
LACTANTII OPERA. _Printed in the Soubiaco Monastery._ 1465. Folio. Here are
two copies of this earliest production of the Italian press. That which is
in blue morocco binding, is infinitely the worse of the two. The other, in
the original binding of wood, is, with the exception of Mr. Grenville's
copy, the finest which I have ever seen. This however is slightly stained,
by water, at top.
---- _Printed at Rostock._ 1476. Folio. A copy UPON VELLUM--which I had
never seen before. The vellum is thin and beautiful, but this is not a
_comfortable_ book in respect to binding. A few leaves at the beginning are
stained. Upon the whole, however, it is a singularly rare and most
desirable volume.[120]
MISSALE MOZARABICUM. 1500. Folio. First Edition. A book of exceedingly
great scarcity, and of which I have before endeavoured to give a pretty
full and correct history.[121] The present is a beautiful clean copy, bound
in blue morocco, apparently by De Seuil--from the red morocco lining
within: but this copy is not so large as the one in St. James's Place. The
MOZARABIC BREVIARY, its companion, which is bound in red morocco, has been
cruelly cropt.
MISSALE HERBIPOLENSE. Folio: with the date of 1479 in the prefatory
admonition. This precious book is UPON VELLUM; and a more beautiful and
desirable volume can hardly be found. There is a copper-plate of
coat-armour, in outline, beneath the prefatory admonition; and M. Bartsch,
who was by the side of me when I was examining the book, referred me to his
_Peintre Graveur_, vol. x. p. 57. where this early copper-plate is noticed.
PSALTERIUM. Latinè. _Printed by Fust and Schoeffher._ 1457. Folio. EDITIO
PRINCEPS. If there be ONE book, more than another, which should induce an
ardent bibliographer to make a pilgrimage to Vienna, THIS is assuredly the
volume in question! And yet, although I could not refrain from doing, what
a score of admiring votaries had probably done before me--namely, bestowing
a sort of _oscular_ benediction upon the first leaf of the text--yet, I
say, it may be questionable whether this copy be as large and fair as that
in our Royal Collection!? Doubtless, however, this is a very fine and
almost invaluable copy of the FIRST BOOK printed with metal types, with a
date subjoined. You will give me credit for having asked for a sight of it,
the _very first thing_ on my entrance into the room where it is kept. It
is, however, preserved in rather a loose and shabby binding, and should
certainly be protected by every effort of the bibliopegistic art. The truth
is, as M. Kopitar told me, that every body--old and young, ignorant and
learned--asks for a sight of this marvellous volume; and it is, in
consequence, rarely kept in a state of quiescence one week throughout the
year: excepting during the holidays.
PSALTERIUM. Latinè. _Without Printer's name or Date._ _Folio._ This is
doubtless a magnificent book, printed in the gothic letter, in red and
black, with musical lines not filled up by notes. The text has services for
certain Saints days. What rendered this volume particularly interesting to
my eyes, was, that on the reverse of the first leaf, beneath two lines of
printed text, (in the smaller of two sizes of gothic letter) and two lines
of scored music in red, I observed an impression of the very same
copper-plate of coat-armour, which I had noticed in the Wurtzburg Missal of
1482, at Oxford, described in the _Bibliographical Decameron_, vol. i. p.
30. Although M. Bartsch had noticed this copper-plate, in its outline
character, in the above previously described Wurtzburg Missal, he seemed to
be ignorant of its existence in this Psalter. The whole of this book is as
fresh as if it had just come from the press.
TESTAMENTUM NOV. Bohemicè. _Without Date._ Folio. This is probably one of
the very rarest impressions of the sacred text, in the XVth century, which
is known to exist. It is printed in the gothic type, in double columns, and
a full page contains thirty-six lines. There are running titles. The text,
at first glance, has much of the appearance of Bämler's printing at
Augsbourg; but it is smaller, and more angular. Why should not the book
have been printed in Bohemia? This is a very clean, desirable copy, in red
morocco binding.
TURRECREMATA I. DE. In LIBRUM PSALMORUM. _Printed at Crause in Suabia._
Folio. This, and the copy described as being in the Public Library at
Munich, are supposed to be the only known copies of this impression. Below
the colophon, in pencil, there is a date of 1475: but quære upon what
authority? This copy is in most miserable condition; especially at the end.
ANCIENT CLASSICAL AUTHORS.
ÆSOPUS. Gr. Quarto. EDITIO PRINCEPS. A sound and perfect copy: ruled.
---- _Ital._ 1491. Quarto. In Italian poetry, by Manfred de Monteferrato.
---- 1492. Quarto. In Italian prose, by the same. Of these two versions,
the Italian appears to be the same as that of the Verona impression of
1479: the cuts are precisely similar. The present is a very sound copy, but
evidently cropt.
APULEIUS. 1469. _Printed by Sweynheym and Pannartz._ Folio. Editio
Princeps. This copy is UPON VELLUM. It is tall and large, but not so fine
as is the following article:
---- _Printed by Jenson._ 1472. Folio. A fine sound copy; in red morocco
binding. Formerly belonging to Prince Eugene.
AULUS GELLIUS. 1469. Folio. Edit. Prin. This is without doubt one of the
very finest VELLUM copies of an old and valuable Classic in existence.
There are sometimes (as is always the case in the books from the earlier
Roman press) brown and yellow pages; but, upon the whole, this is a
wonderful and inestimable book. It is certainly unique, as being printed
upon vellum. Note well: the _Jerom, Apuleius_, and _Aulus Gellius_--with
one or two others, presently to be described--were Cardinal Bessarion's OWN
COPIES; and were taken from the library of St. Mark at Venice, by the
Austrians, in their memorable campaign in Italy. I own that there are
hardly any volumes in the Imperial Library at Vienna which interested me so
much as these VELLUM SWEYNHEYMS and PANNARTZ!
AUSONIUS. 1472. Folio. Editio Princeps. The extreme rarity of this book is
well known. The present copy is severely cropt at top and bottom, but has a
good side marginal breadth. It has also been washed; but you are only
conscious of it by the scent of soap.
CÆSAR. 1469. _Printed by S. and Pannartz._ Folio. Edit. Princeps. A
beautiful and unique copy--UPON VELLUM. This was formerly Prince Eugene's
copy; and I suspect it to be the same which is described in the _Bibl.
Hulziana_, vol. i. no. 3072--as it should seem to be quite settled that the
printers, Sweynheym and Pannartz, printed only _one_ copy of their
respective first editions upon vellum. It is however but too manifest that
this precious volume has been cropt in binding--which is in red morocco.
---- 1472. _Printed by the same._ Folio. This also was Prince Eugene's
copy; and is much larger and finer than the preceding--on the score of
condition.
CICERO DE OFFICIIS. 1465, Quarto. Here are _two_ copies: each UPON VELLUM.
One, in blue morocco, is short and small; but in very pretty condition. The
other is stained and written upon. It should be cast out.
---- 1466. Quarto. UPON VELLUM. A beautiful copy, which measures very
nearly ten inches in height.[122] In all these copies, the title of the
"Paradoxes" is printed.
CICERONIS. EPIST. FAM. 1467. Folio. Editio Princeps. Cardinal Bessarion's
own copy, and unquestionably THE FINEST THAT EXISTS. The leaves are white
and thick, and crackle aloud as you turn them over. It is upon paper, which
makes me think that there never was a copy upon vellum; for the Cardinal,
who was a great patron of Sweynheym and Pannartz, the printers, would
doubtless have possessed it in that condition. At the beginning, however,
it is slightly stained, and at the end slightly wormed. Yet is this copy,
in its primitive binding, finer than any which can well be imagined. The
curious are aware that this is supposed to have been the _first book
printed at Rome_; and that the blanks, left for the introduction of Greek
characters, prove that the printers were not in possession of the latter
when this book was published. The Cardinal has written two lines, partly in
Greek and partly in Latin, on the fly leaf. This copy measures eleven
inches three eighths by seven inches seven eighths.
CICERO. RHETORICA VETUS. Printed by Jenson. When I had anticipated the
beauty of a VELLUM COPY of this book (in the _Bibl. Spencer._ vol. i. p.
349--here close at hand) I had not of course formed the idea of seeing such
a one HERE. This vellum copy is doubtless a lovely book; but the vellum is
discoloured in many places, and I suspect the copy has been cut down a
little.
---- ORATIONES. _Printed by S. and Pannartz._ 1471. Folio. A beautifully
white and genuine copy; but the first few leaves are rather soiled, and it
is slightly wormed towards the end. A _fairer_ Sweynheym and Pannartz is
rarely seen.
---- OPERA OMNIA. 1498. Folio. 4 vols. A truly beautiful copy, bound in
red morocco; but it is not free from occasional ms. annotations, in red
ink, in the margins. It measures sixteen inches and three quarters in
height, by ten inches and three quarters in width. A fine and perfect copy
of this _First Edition of the Entire Works_ of Cicero, is obtained with
great difficulty. A nobler monument of typographical splendour the early
annals of the press cannot boast of.
HOMERI OPERA OMNIA. Gr. 1488. Folio. Editio Princeps. A sound, clean copy,
formerly Prince Eugene's; but not comparable with many copies which I have
seen.
BATRACHOMYOMACHIA. Gr. Without date or place. Quarto. Edit. Prin: executed
in red and black lines, alternately. This is a sound, clean, and beautiful
copy; perhaps a little cropt. In modern russia binding.
JUVENALIS. Folio. _Printed by Ulric Han_, in his larger type. A cruelly
cropt copy, with a suspiciously ornamented title page. This once belonged
to Count Delci.
JUVENALIS. _Printed by I. de Fivizano _. _Without date_. Folio. This is a
very rare edition, and has been but recently acquired. It contains
twenty-seven lines in a full page. There are neither numerals, signatures,
nor catchwords. On the sixty-ninth and last leaf, is the colophon. A sound
and desirable copy; though not free from soil.
LUCIANI OPUSCULA QUÆDAM. Lat. _Printed by S. Bevilaquensis._ 1494. Quarto.
This is really one of the most covetable little volumes in the world. It is
a copy printed UPON VELLUM; with most beautiful illuminations, in the
purest Italian taste. Look--if ever you visit the Imperial Library--at the
last illumination, at the bottom of _o v_, recto. It is indescribably
elegant. But the binder should have been hung in chains. He has cut the
book to the very quick--so as almost to have entirely sliced away several
of the border decorations.
OVIDII FASTI. _Printed by Azoguidi._ 1471. Folio. This is the whole of what
they possess of this wonderfully rare EDIT. PRIN. of Ovid, printed at
Bologna by the above printer:--and of this small portion the first leaf is
wanting.
----, OPERA OMNIA, _Printed by Sweynheym and Pannartz_. 1471. Folio. 2
vols. This is a clean, large copy; supplied from two old libraries. The
volumes are equally large, but the first is in the finer condition.
----, EPISTOLÆ et FASTI. I know nothing of the printer of this edition,
nor can I safely guess where it was printed. The Epistles begin on the
recto of _aa ii_ to _gg v_; the Fasti on A i to VV ix, including some few
other opuscula; of which my memorandum is misplaced. At the end, we read
the word FINIS.
PLINIUS SENIOR. _Printed by I. de Spira_. 1469. Folio. Editio Princeps. We
have here the identical copy--printed UPON VELLUM--of which I remember to
have heard it said, that the Abbé Strattman, when he was at the head of
this library, declared, that whenever the French should approach Vienna, he
would march off with _this_ book under _one_ arm, and with the FIRST
Psalter under the other! This was heroically said; but whether such
declaration was ever _acted_ upon, is a point upon which the
bibliographical annals of that period are profoundly silent. To revert to
this membranaceous treasure. It is in one volume, beautifully white and
clean; but ("horresco referens;") it has been cruelly deprived of its
legitimate dimensions. In other words, it is a palpably cropt copy. The
very first glance of the illumination at the first page confirms this. In
other respects, also, it can bear no comparison with the VELLUM copy in the
Royal Library at Paris.[123] Yet is it a book ... for which I know more
than _one_ Roxburgher who would promptly put pen to paper and draw a check
for 300 guineas--to become its possessor.
PLINIUS SENIOR. _Printed by Jenson._ 1472. Folio. Another early Pliny--UPON
VELLUM: very fine, undoubtedly; but somewhat cropt, as the encroachment
upon the arms, at the bottom of the first illuminated page, evidently
proves. The initial letters are coloured in that sober style of decoration,
which we frequently observe in the illuminated volumes of Sweynheym and
Pannartz; but they generally appear to have received some injury. Upon the
whole, I doubt if this copy be so fine as the similar copies, upon vellum,
in the libraries of the Duke of Devonshire and the late Sir M. M. Sykes.
This book is bound in the highly ornamented style of French binding of the
XVIIth century; and it measures almost sixteen inches one eighth, by ten
inches five eighths.
PLINIUS. Italicè. _Printed by Jenson._ 1476. Folio. A fine, large, pure,
crackling copy; in yellow morocco binding. It was Prince Eugene's copy; but
is yet inferior, in magnitude, to the copy at Paris.[124]
SILIUS ITALICUS. _Printed by Laver._ 1471. Folio. The largest, soundest,
and cleanest copy of this very rare impression, which I remember to have
seen:--with the exception, perhaps, of that in the Bodleian Library.
SUETONIUS. _Printed by S. and Pannartz._ 1470. Folio. Second Edition. A
fine, sound copy, yet somewhat cropt. The first page of the text has the
usual border printed ornament of the time of printing the book. This was
Prince Eugene's copy.