PLINY, Gaius, The Elder (23--79)
[Naturalis historia. 1615]
C. Plinii Secvndi Historiae mvndi libri XXXVII. Opvs omni qvidem commendatione maivs, sed nvllis ad hvnc diem editionibvs, nulla cuiusquam singulari vel opera, vel industria, à mendis, quæ aut temporum iniquitate, aut superiorum ætatum negligentia, inter Latinos primæ notæ scriptorem hactenus occuparunt, satis vnquam emaculatum fuerit. Nvnc denvo qvanta praestari potvit fide, cura & diligentia, tam ex vetustissimorum & aliorum hactenus excusorum, quàm plurium etiam manuscriptorum codicum attentissima collatione; idque post vltimam defuncti doctissimi D. Iacobi Dalecampii præstantissimi medici manum, ita fœliciter repurgatum: variis qvoqve Sigism. Gelenii, Fredenandi Pintiani, & aliorum lectionibus, castigationibus & adnotationibus eruditissimis ornatum; vt nihil posthac huic operi desiderari posse videatur. Accessere itidem indices vtiles & necessarij.
Coloniae Allobrogum sumptibus Samuelis Crispini, 1615.
[36], 32, 730, 733--746, [168], 116, 3-29, [1] p.; 35.4 cm. (2º)

Printer's device depicting Fame on the title-page. This Geneva edition of the Natural history of Pliny the Elder is based on the last edition of Jacques Daleschamps (1513--1588) and includes elements incorporated by subsequent editors Janus Gruterus and Joh. Matthäus Wacker von Wackenfels in the Frankfurt editions of 1599. (See J.E. Sandys, History of classical scholarship, Cambridge 1908, pp. 263--65). Other issues of the same year have imprints: Coloniae Allobrogum: apud Petrum et Iac. Chouet, and Lugduni: apud Antonium Candidum. The main body of text is printed in double columns. Pages 731--732 are omitted in the pagination. 'Sigismvndi Gelenii Castigationes Ex Vetvstorvm Archetyporvm Collatione, In Aliquàm multa Pliniani operis loca, ab aliis anteà parùm aniamduersa' (caption title; 32 pp. preceding text proper, reprinted with their author's dedication dated 1535) has separate pagination and register. The index immediately following text proper has a divisional half-title reading 'Index in C. Plinii Secvndi Naturalem Historiam Copiosissimvs' and begins new register; it is followed by 'In C. Plinii Historiae Natvralis Libros Omnes, Fredenandi [sic] Pintiani, ... Observationes Ervditissimae' and 'Beati Rhenani Selezestadiensis In C. Plinium Annotationes' (with its dedication dated 1526), each with divisional half-title and separate register. The verso of the half-title of 'Beati Rhenani ...' is numbered 116 in continuation of the pagination of the 'Observationes ...' and the subsequent pagination runs from pages 3 to 29, [1]; the final page is blank.

Copy Notes With the first page of the 'Praefatio' (sig. **1) misbound between leaves **5 and **6. Some Latin MSS. marginalia in ink (some red, some black) in an early hand on pp. 149, 212, 729, 730 and 733, and 744. Fore-edge lettered in ink 'Plin'. Lower cover with number '38' in red pigment.

Binding C17th calf, blind double-ruled borders, blind-ruled spine, red morocco spine-label. Early stitched repair to lower board.

Reference Number 3863