Louis Elzevir

Two works bound in one volume: first edition of Principia philosophiae fol­lowed by the first Latin edition of Spec­imina philosophiae. Complete with blank leaves b4 and 2Q4.

 

Printer's mark representing Minerva and her owl, as well as the motto “Ne extra oleas” on the title page. Numerous in-text engrav­ings.

Bound in full calf, spine with five raised bands framed in gilt, elaborately decorat­ed in gilt, gilt arms of the Society of Writers to the Signet at center of boards framed in blind, marbled endpapers, speckled edges. Library shelfmark glued to the pastedown endpaper, additional penned shelfmarks on the pastedown, and a manuscript ex-libris of the Signet Library, “Ex Lib: | Bibl: Scribar | Sig: Reg:” on the title page. Joints, spine-ends and corners restored, more foxing on the first six leaves, on the title page of the Specimina and the last four leaves of the volume. Some spots to the boards. Unusual paper defect around the author's name on the title page of Princip­ia, present in other copies (Library of Con­gress, BnF), small wormhole to the lower margin of this same page, burrowing to p. 129 of the “Specimina”. A few faded letters on 4 lines where two pages were joined together (pages 296–297).

First Latin edition of the Discourse on the Method containing the first oc­currence of the famous “cogito ergo sum”.

First edition. A title-frontispiece featuring the personification of justice. Specific title page and pagination for Receptarum juris utriusque regularum partitiones by Cousinio.

Contemporary full vellum binding with overlapping flaps. Smooth spine with title-label lacking. Vellum soiled overall. Good copy.

These Elements of Civil Law are the work of Professor of Law at Amsterdam Joannes Arnold Corvinus, Protestant minister and jurist. Before becoming a lawyer he was a Calvinist preacher. Close to Grotius, he was part of a group of legal writers sympathetic to Protestants who commented on reason of State.


 

First edition. Illustrated with a frontispiece.
Full vellum binding with overlapping edges. Smooth spine with handwritten title. Endpapers renewed.
Important Greek-Latin dictionary. The German humanist E. Lubin (1565-1621) taught poetics at the University of Rostock from 1595 to 1605 before becoming professor of theology. Fine Elzevier edition in small type. Between 1620 and 1680, Elzevier production experienced a golden age of typography. The origin of small formats and small type (a technical feat at the time) lay in cost considerations, as printing was then in crisis.

Original edition Latin. Brand printer representing Minerva and her owl, and the motto "Do Oleas extra" on the title page. In-text engravings. Bookplate of Abbot Those Pottery pasted on the first inside cover, ex-dono deleted and library stamp on the title page.

Contemporary binding in full brown calf with a few discrete restorations, ornate back with five nerves, part of title red morocco, gilt roll on turns all red sprinkled edges. Some foxing two more pronounced at the beginning and end of the volume. Trimmed a little short in the lead.

It is in 1644 that Descartes wrote in Latin Principia philosophiae, with attention to clarify and give a sound and rigorous basis to philosophy, to erect the unshakable foundations. The first premise of philosophical research, this is the reason, and his method of deduction. The Cartesian project is a universal science, not just philosophical. Principia follow the Discourse on Method (1636) and Meditations (1641). The aim of the book is prodigious, Descartes wants to provide a new metaphysics based on the cogito, which creates a new classification of knowledge and a new moral reflection, which it operates through revolution, gave birth to the Enlightenment .

Precious copy of the original edition.