_large paper_, of the largest possible dimensions, and in the finest
possible condition; add to which--rich and rare old binding! Both these
books, upon large paper, are wanting in Lord Spencer's collection; but
then, as a pretty stiff set-off, his Lordship has the THEMISTIUS of 1534--
which, for size and condition, may challenge either of the preceding--and
which is here wanting.
GALENUS. 1525. Gr. Folio. 5 vols. A matchless set, upon _large paper_. The
binding claims as much attention, before you open the volumes, as does a
finely-proportioned Greek portico--ere you enter the temple or the mansion.
The foregoing are all, doubtless, equally splendid and uncommon specimens
of the beauty and magnificence of the press of the _Alduses_: and they are
also, with very few exceptions, as intrinsically valuable as they are fine.
I shall conclude my survey of these lower-book-regions by noticing a few
more uncommon books of their kind.
CATHARIN DE SIENA. 1500. Folio. This volume is also a peculiarity in the
Aldine department. It is, in the first place, a very fine copy--and
formerly belonged to Anne of Brittany. In the second place, it has a
wood-cut prefixed, and several introductory pieces, which, if I remember
rightly, do not belong to Lord Spencer's copy of the same edition.
ISOCRATES. Gr. _Printed at Milan_. 1493. Folio. What is somewhat singular,
there is another copy of this book which has a title and imprint of the
date of 1535 or 1524; in which the old Greek character of the body of the
work is rather successfully imitated.[84]
BIBLIA POLYGLOTTA COMPLUTENSIA. 1516-22. Fol. 6 vols. I doubt exceedingly
whether this be not the largest and finest copy in existence. It may
possibly be even _large paper_--but certainly, if otherwise, it is among
the most ample and beautiful. The colour, throughout, is white and uniform;
which is not the usual characteristic of copies of this work. It measures
fourteen inches and three quarters in height, and belonged originally to
Henry II. and Diane de Poictiers. It wanted only _this_ to render it
unrivalled; and it now undoubtedly _is_ so.
TESTAMENTUM NOVUM. Gr. _Printed by R. Stephen_. 1550. Folio. Another
treasure from the same richly-fraught collection. It is quite a perfect
copy; but some of the silver ornaments of the sides have been taken off.
Let me now place before you a few more testimonies of the splendour of that
library, which was originally the chief ornament of the _Chateau
d'Anet_,[85] and not of the Louvre.
HERODOTUS. Gr. _Printed by Aldus_, 1502. Folio. I had long supposed Lord
Spencer's copy--like this, upon LARGE PAPER--to be the finest first Aldine
Herodotus in existence: but the first glimpse only of the present served to
dissipate that belief. What must repeated glimpses have produced?
LUCIANUS. Gr. _Printed by the Same_. 1503. Folio. Equally beautiful--large,
white, and crackling--with the preceding.
SUIDAS. Gr. _Printed by the Same_. 1503. Folio. The same praise belongs to
this copy; which, like its precursors, is clothed in the first mellow and
picturesque binding.
EUSTATHIUS IN HOMERUM. 1542. Folio. 3 vols. A noble copy--eclipsed perhaps,
in amplitude only, by that in the collection of Mr. Grenville.
DION CASSIUS. Gr. 1548. Folio. APPIANUS. Gr. 1551. Folio. DIONYSIUS
HALICARNASSENSIS. 1546. Folio. These exquisitely well printed volumes are
from the press of the Stephens. The present copies, clothed in their
peculiar bindings, are perhaps the most beautiful that exist. They are from
the library of the Chateau d'Anet. Let it not be henceforth said that the
taste of Henri II. was not _well_ directed by the influence of Diane de
Poictiers, in the choice of BOOKS.
CICERONIS OPERA OMNIA. _Printed by the Giunti_, 1534. Folio. 4 vols. I
introduce this copy to your notice, because there are four leaves of
_Various Readings_, at the end of the fourth volume, which M. Van Praet
said he had never observed, nor heard of, in any other copy.[86] I think
also that there are two volumes of the same edition upon LARGE PAPER:--the
rest being deficient. Does any perfect copy, of this kind, exist?
POETÆ GRÆCI HEROICI. 1556. _Printed by H. Stephen._ Folio. De Thou's own
copy--and, upon the whole, perhaps MATCHLESS. The sight of this splendid
volume would repay the toil of a pilgrimage of some fourscore miles, over
Lapland snows. There is another fine copy of the same edition, which
belonged to Diana and her royal slave; but it is much inferior to De
Thou's.
The frequent mention of DE THOU reminds me of the extraordinary number of
copies, which came from his library, and which are placed upon the shelves
of the _fourth_ or following room. Perhaps no other library can boast of
such a numerous collection of similar copies. It was, while gazing upon
these interesting volumes along with M. Van Praet, that the latter told me
he remembered seeing the ENTIRE LIBRARY of De Thou--before it was dispersed
by the sale of the collection of the Prince de Soubise in 1788--in which it
had been wholly embodied, partly by descent, and partly by purchase. And
now farewell ... to the BIBLIOTHÈQUE DU ROI. We have, I think, tarried in
it a good long time; and recreated ourselves with a profusion of RICH AND
RARE GEMS in the book-way--whether as specimens of the pencil, or of the
press. I can never regret the time so devoted--nor shall ever banish from
my recollection the attention, civility, and kindness which I have
received, from all quarters, in this magnificent library. It remains only
to shake hands with the whole _Corps Bibliographique_, who preside over
these regions of knowledge, and whose names have been so frequently
mentioned--and, making our bow, to walk arm in arm together to the
LIBRARY OF THE ARSENAL.
The way thither is very interesting, although not very short. Whether your
hackney coachman take you through the _Marché des Innocents_, or straight
forward, along the banks of the Seine--passing two or three bridges--you
will be almost equally amused. But reflections of a graver cast will arise,
when you call to mind that it was in his way to THIS VERY LIBRARY--to have
a little bibliographical, or rather perhaps political, chat with his
beloved Sully--that Henry IV. fell by the hand of an Assassin.[87] They
shew you, at the further end of the apartments--distinguished by its
ornaments of gilt, and elaborate carvings--the _very boudoir_ ... where
that monarch and his prime minister frequently retired to settle the
affairs of the nation. Certainly, no man of education or of taste can enter
such an apartment without a diversion of some kind being given to the
current of his feelings. I will frankly own that I lost, for one little
minute, the recollection of the hundreds and thousands of volumes--
including even those which adorn the chamber wherein the head librarian
sits--which I had surveyed in my route thither. However, my present object
must be exclusively confined to an account of a very few choice articles of
these hundreds and thousands of volumes.
BIBLIA LATINA. _Printed by Fust and Schoiffher_, 1462. 2 vols. There are
not fewer than _three_ copies of this edition, which I shall almost begin
to think must be ranked among books of ordinary occurrence. Of these three,
two are UPON VELLUM, and the third is upon paper. The latter, or paper
copy, is cruelly cropt, and bad in every respect. Of the two upon vellum,
one is in vellum binding, and a fair sound copy; except that it has a few
initials cut out. The other vellum copy, which is bound in red morocco--
measuring full fifteen inches and a half, by eleven inches and a quarter--
affords the comfortable evidence of ancient ms. signatures at bottom. There
are doubtless some exceptionable leaves; but, upon the whole, it is a very
sound and desirable copy. It was obtained of the elder M. Brunet, father of
the well-known author of the Manuel du Libraire. M. Brunet senior found it
in the garret of a monastery, of which he had purchased the entire library;
and he sold it to the father of the present Comte d'Artois for six hundred
livres ... only!
ROMAUNT DE JASON, _Supposed to be printed by Caxton_. Folio. _Without
date_. This is a finer copy than the one in the Royal Library; but it is
imperfect, wanting two leaves.
Here is a copy of the very rare edition of the MORLINI _Novella Comoediæ et
Fabulæ_, printed in 1520 in 4to.:--also of the _Teatro Jesuitico--impresso
en Coimbra_, 1634, 4to.:--and of the _Missa Latina_, printed by Mylius in
1557, 8vo. which latter is a satire upon the mass, and considered
exceedingly rare. I regretted to observe so very bad a copy of the original
_Giunta_ Edition of the BOCCACCIO of 1527, 4to.
MISSALE PARISIENSE. 1522. Folio. A copy UPON VELLUM. I do not think it
possible for any library, in any part of the world, to produce a more
lovely volume than that upon which, at this moment, I must be supposed to
be gazing! In the illuminated initial letters, wood-cuts, tone and quality
of the vellum, and extreme skilfulness of the printer--it surely cannot be
surpassed. Nor is the taste of the binding inferior to its interior
condition. It is habited in the richly-starred morocco livery of Claude
d'Urfé: in other words, it came from that distinguished man's library.
Originally it appears to have been in the "_Bibliothèque de l'Eglise à
Paris_."
_Mozarabic Missal and Breviary_. 1500, 1502. Folio. Original Editions.
These copies are rather cropt, but sound and perfect.
THE DELPHIN STATIUS. Two copies: of which that in calf is the whitest, and
less beaten: the other is in dark morocco. The Abbé Grosier told me that De
Bure had offered him forty louis for one of them: to which I replied, and
now repeat the question, "where is the use of keeping _two_?" Rely upon it,
that, within a dozen years from hence, it will turn out that these Delphin
Statiuses have never been even _singed_ by a fire![88] I begin to suspect
that this story may be classed in the number of BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DELUSIONS--
upon which subject our friend * * could publish a most interesting crown
octavo volume: meet garniture for a Bibliomaniac's breakfast table.
Here is the ALDINE BIBLE of 1518, in Greek, upon _thick paper_, bound in
red morocco. Also a very fine copy of the _Icelandic Bible_ of 1644, folio,
bound in the same manner. Among the religious formularies, I observed a
copy of the _Liturgia Svecanæ Ecclesiæ catliolicæ et orthodoxæ conformis_,
in 1576, folio--which contains only LXXVI leaves, besides the dedication
and preface. It has a wood-cut frontispiece, and the text is printed in a
very large gothic letter. The commentary is in a smaller type. This may be
classed among the rarer books of its kind. But I must not forget a MS. of
_The Hours of St. Louis_--considered as _contemporaneous_. It is a most
beautiful small folio, or rather imperial octavo; and is in every respect
brilliant and precious. The gold, raised greatly beyond what is usually
seen in MSS. of this period, is as entire as it is splendid. The miniature
paintings are all in a charming state of preservation, and few things of
this kind can be considered more interesting.
This library has been long celebrated for its collection of _French
Topography_ and of early _French_ and _Spanish Romances_; a great portion
of the latter having been obtained at the sale of the Nyon Library. I shall
be forgiven, I trust, if I neglect the former for the latter. Prepare
therefore for a list of some choice articles of this description--in every
respect worthy of conspicuous places in all future _Roxburghe_ and
_Stanley_ collections. The books now about to be described are, I think,
almost all in that apartment which leads immediately into Sully's boudoir.
They are described just as I took them from the shelves.
RICHARD-SANS PEUR, &c. "_A Paris Par Nicolas et Pierre Bonfons_," &c.
_Without Date_. 4to. It is executed in a small roman type, in double
columns. There is an imposing wood-cut of Richard upon horseback, in the
frontispiece, and a very clumsy one of the same character on the reverse.
The signatures run to E in fours. An excellent copy.
LE MEME ROMANT. "_Imprime nouuelement a Paris_." At the end, printed by
"_Alain Lotrain et Denis Janot_." 4to. _Without Date_. The title, just
given is printed in a large gothic letter, in red and black lines,
alternately, over a rude-wood cut of Richard upon horseback. The signatures
A, B, C, run in fours: D in eight, and E four. The text is executed in a
small coarse gothic letter, in long lines. The present is a sound good
copy.
ROBERT LE DYABLE. "La terrible Et merueilleuse vie de Robert Le Dyable iiii
C." 4to. _Without Date_. The preceding is over a large wood-cut of Robert,
with a club in his hand, forming the frontispiece. The signatures run to D,
in fours; with the exception of A, which has eight leaves. The work is
printed in double columns, in a small gothic type. A sound desirable copy.
SYPPERTS DE VINEUAULX. "Lhystoire plaisante et recreative faisant metion
des prouesses et vaillaces du noble Sypperts de Vineuaulx Et de ses dix
septs filz Nouuellement imprime." At the end: printed for "_Claude veufue
de feu Iehan sainct denys_," 4to. _Without Date_. On the reverse of this
leaf there is a huge figure of a man straddling, holding a spear and
shield, and looking over his left shoulder. I think I have seen this figure
before. This impression is executed in long lines, in a small gothic
letter. A sound copy of a very rare book.[89]
GUY DE VVARWICH. "Lhystoire de Guy de vvarwich Cheualier dagleterre &c.
4to. _No Date_. The preceding is over a wood-cut of the famous Guy and his
fair Felixe. At bottom, we learn that it is executed in a small gothic
type, in double columns. The colophon is on the reverse of V. six.
MESSER NOBILE SOCIO. "Le Miserie de li Amanti di Messer Mobile Socio."
Colophon: "_Stampata in Vinegia per Maestro Bernardino de Vitali Veneciano_
MDXXXIII." 4to. This impression is executed in long lines, in a fair, good,
italic letter. The signatures, from _a_ to _y_ inclusively, run in fours.
The colophon, just given, is on the reverse of _z_ i. Of this romance I
freely avow my total ignorance.
CASTILLE ET ARTUS D'ALGARBE. 4to. This title is over what may be called
rather a spirited wood-cut. The date below is 1587. It is printed in double
columns, in a small roman type. In the whole, forty-eight leaves. A
desirable copy.
LA NEF DES DAMES. 4to, _Without Date_. This title is composed of one line,
in large lower-case gothic, in black, (just as we see in some of the title
pages of Gerard de Leeu) with the rest in four lines, in a smaller gothic
letter, printed in red. In this title page is also seen a wood-cut of a
ship, with the virgin and child beneath.
This book exhibits a fine specimen of rich gothic type, especially in the
larger fount--with which the poetry is printed. There is rather an abundant
sprinkling of wood cuts, with marginal annotations. The greater part of the
work is in prose, in a grave moral strain. The colophon is a recapitulation
of the title, ending thus: "_Imprime a Lyon sur le rosne par Iaques
arnollet_." This is a sound but somewhat soiled copy. In torn parchment
binding.
NOVELAS FOR MARIA DE ZAYAS, &c. _En Zaragoça, en el Hospital Real_, &c.
_Ano 1637_." 4to. These novels are ten in number; some of them containing
Spanish poetry. An apparently much enlarged edition appeared in 1729. 4to.
"_Corregidas y enmendadas en esta ultima impression_."
NOVELAS AMOROSAS. _Madrid_, 1624. 4to. Twelve novels, in prose: 192
leaves. Subjoined in this copy, are the "Heroydas Belicas, y Amoras, &c."
_En Barcelona_, &c. 1622. 4to. The whole of these latter are in three-line
stanzas: 109 leaves.
SVCESSOS Y PRODIGOS DE AMOR. _En Madrid_. 1626. 4to. 166 leaves. At the
end: "Orfeo, en lengva Castellana. A la decima Mvsa." By the same author:
in four cantos: thirty-one leaves.
EL CAVALLERO CID. "El Cid rvy Diez de Viuar."
The preceding title is over a wood-cut of a man on horseback, trampling
upon four human bodies. At bottom: _Impresso con licencia en Salamanca,
Ano de 1627_." 4to.: 103 pages. At the end are, the "_Seys Romances del
Cid Ruy Diaz de Biuar_." The preceding is on A (i). Only four leaves in the
whole; quite perfect, and, as I should apprehend, of considerable rarity.
This slender tract appears to have been printed at _Valladolid por la viuda
de Francisco de Cordoua, Ano de 1627_." 4to.
FIORIO E BIANCIFIORE. "_Impressa, &c. ne bologna, Delanno del nostro
signore m.cccclxxx. adi. xxiii. di decembre. Laus deo."_ Folio. Doubtless
this must be the _Prima Edizione_ of this long popular romance; and perhaps
the present may be a unique copy of it. Caxton, as you may remember,
published an English prosaïc version of it in the year 1485; and no copy of
_that_ version is known, save the one in the cabinet at St. James's Place.
This edition has only eight leaves, and this copy happens unluckily to be
in a dreadfully shattered and tender state. At the end:
_Finito e il libra del fidelissimo Amore
Che portorno insieme Fiorio e Biancifiore_
Subjoined to the copy just described is another work, thus entitled:
SECRETO SOLO e in arma ben amaistrato
Sia qualunqua nole essere inamorato.
Got gebe ir eynen guten seligen mogen.
The preceding, line for line, is printed in a large gothic type: the rest
of the work in a small close gothic letter. Both pieces, together, contain
sixty-three leaves.
COMMEDIA DE CELESTINA. "_Vendese la presente obra en la ciudad de Anuers_,"
&c. 18mo. _Without Date_. I suspect however that this scarce little volume
was _printed_ as well as "_sold_" at Paris.
MILLES ET AMYS. "_A Rouen chez la Veufue de Louys Costé_." 4to. Without
Date. The frontispiece has a wood-cut of no very extraordinary beauty, and
the whole book exhibits a sort of ballad-style of printing. It is executed
in a roman letter, in double columns.
OGIER LE DANOIS. "_On les vend a Lyon_, &c." Folio. At the end is the date
of 1525, over the printer's device of a lion couchant, and a heart and
crown upon a shield. It is a small folio, printed in a neat and rather
brilliant gothic type, with several wood-cuts.
GALIEN ET JAQUELINE. "_Les nobles prouesses et vaillances de Galien
restaure_," &c. 1525, Folio. The preceding is over a large wood-cut of a
man on horseback; and this romance is printed by the same printer, in the
same place, and, as you observe, in the same year--as is that just before
described.
HUON DE BOURDEAUX. Here are four editions of this Romance:--to which I
suspect fourscore more might be added. The first is printed at _Paris_ for
_Bonfons_, in double columns, black letter, with rude wood-cuts. A fine
copy: from the Colbert Collection. The second edition is of the date of
1586: in long lines, roman letter, approaching the ballad-style of
printing. The third edition is "_A Troyes, Chez Nicolas Oudot_, &c. 1634."
4to. in double columns, small roman letter. No cuts, but on the recto and
reverse of the frontispiece. The fourth edition is also "_A Troyes Chez
Pierre Garnier_, 1726," 4to. in double columns, roman letter. A very
ballad-like production.
LES QUATRE FILZ AYMON, Two. editions. One. "_à Lyon par Benoist Rigaud_,
1583," 4to. The printing is of the ballad-kind, although there are some
spirited wood-cuts, which have been wretchedly pulled. The generality are
as bad as the type and paper.
MABRIAN. &c. "_A Troyes, Chez Oudot_, 1625," 4to. A vastly clever wood-cut
frontispiece, but wretched paper and printing. From the _Cat. de Nyon_; no.
8135.
MORGANT LE GEANT. "_A Troyes, Chez Nicholas Oudot_, 1650, 4to." A pretty
wood-cut frontispiece, and an extraordinary large cut of St. George and the
Dragon on the reverse. There was a previous Edition by the same Printer at
Rouen, in 1618, which contains the second book--wanting in this copy.
GERARD COMTE DE NEVERS, &C. 1526, 4to. The title is over the arms of
France, and the text is executed in a handsome gothic letter, in long
lines. At the end, it appears to have been printed for _Philip le Noir_. It
is a very small quarto, and the volume is of excessive rarity. The present
is a fine copy, in red morocco binding.
CRONIQUE DE FLORIMONT, &C. At "_Lyons--par Olivier Arnoullet_," 4to. At the
end is the date of 1529. This impression is executed in a handsome gothic
type, in long lines.
TROYS FILZ DE ROYS. Printed for "_Nicolas Chrestien--en la Rue neufue
nostre Dame_," &c. Without date, 4to. The frontispiece displays a large
rude wood cut; and the edition is printed in the black letter, in double
columns. All the cuts are coarse. The book, however, is of uncommon
occurrence.
PARIS ET VIENNE:--"_à Paris, Chez Simon Caluarin rue St. Jacques_." Without
date: in double columns; black letter, coarsely printed. A pretty wood-cut
at the beginning is repeated at the end. This copy is from the Colbert
Library.
PIERRE DE PROVENCE ET LA BELLE MAGUELONNE. 1490. 4to. The title is over a
large wood-cut of a man and woman, repeated on the reverse of the leaf. The
impression is in black letter, printed in long lines, with rather coarse
wood-cuts. I apprehend this small quarto volume to be of extreme rarity.
JEHAN DE SAINTRE--"_Paris, pour Jehan Bonfons_," &c. 4to. _Without date_. A
neatly printed book, in double columns, in the gothic character. There is
no cut but in the frontispiece. A ms. note says, "This is the first and
rarest edition, and was once worth twelve louis." The impression is
probably full three centuries old.
BERINUS ET AYGRES DE LAYMANT. At bottom: sold at "_Paris par Jehan de
Bonfons_, 4to. _No date._ It is in double columns, black letter, with the
device of the printer on the reverse of the last leaf. A rare book.
JEAN DE PARIS. "Le Romat de Iehan de Paris, &c. _à Paris, par Jehan
Bonfons_, 4to. _Without date_. In black letter, long lines: with rather
pretty wood-cuts. A ms. note at the end says: "Ce roman que jay lu tout
entier est fort singulier et amusant--cest de luy douvient le proverbe
"_train de Jean de Paris_." Cest ici la plus ancienne edition. Elle est
rare." The present is a sound copy. There are some pleasing wood-cuts at
the end.
CRONIQUE DE CLERIADUS, &C. "_On les vend à Lyon au pres de nostre dame de
confort cheulx Oliuier Arnoullet_. At the end; 1529. 4to. This edition,
which is very scarce, is executed in a handsome gothic type, in long lines.
The present is a cropt but sound copy.
GUILLAUME DE PALERNE, &C. At bottom--beneath a singular wood-cut of some
wild animal (wolf or fox) running away with a child, and a group of
affrighted people retreating--we read: "_On les vent a Lyon aupres Dame de
Confort chez Oliuier Arnoulle_." At the end is the date of 1552.
---- Another edition of the same romance, _printed at Rouen, without date,
by the widow of Louis Costé_, 4to. A mere ballad-style of publication:
perhaps not later than 1634.--the date of our wretched and yet most popular
impression of the Knights of the Round Table.
DAIGREMONT ET VIVIAN. _Printed by Arnoullet, at Lyons_, in 1538, 4to. It is
executed in a handsome gothic letter, in long lines. This copy is bound up
with the _first_ edition of the Cronique de Florimont--for which turn to a
preceding page[90]. In the same volume is a third romance, entitled
LA BELLE HELAYNE, 1528, 4to.:--_Printed by the same printer_, with a
singular wood-cut frontispiece; in a gothic character not quite so handsome
as in the two preceding pieces.
JOURDAIN DE BLAVE. _A Paris, par Nicolas Chrestien_," 4to. _Without date_.
Printed in double columns, in a small coarse gothic letter.
DOOLIN DE MAYENCE. _A Paris--N. Bonfons_. _Without date_, 4to. Probably
towards the end of the sixteenth century; in double columns, in the roman
letter. Here is another edition, _printed at Rouen_, by _Pierre Mullot_; in
roman letter; in double columns. A coarse, wretched performance.
MEURVIN FILS D'OGER, &C. _A Paris;--Nicolas Bonfons_." 4to. _Without date_.
In the roman letter, in double columns. A fine copy.
MELUSINE. Evidently by _Philip le Noir_, from his device at the end. It is
executed in a coarse small gothic letter; with a strange, barbarous
frontispiece. Another edition, having a copy of the same frontispiece,--
"_Nouuellement Imprimee a Troyes par Nicolas Oudot. 1649."_ 4to. Numerous
wood-cuts. In long lines, in the roman letter.