VIRGILIUS

First edition by Daniel Heinsius of Virgil's works Opera; nunc emendatiora.

      Leyden, Ex off. Elzeviriana, 1636.. 12mo. 19th century red morocco, spine ribbed and gilt, with richly gilt and blindstamped borders on sides and gilt fillet inner panel with gilt fan-ornaments at the four corners, gilt decorated inner borders, g.e. (P. GREFFIER). With fine engraved allegorical title with a large swan, woodcut of two sides of a medal with the portrait of Virgil, 2 pages printed in red, and double-page folding engraved map of Aeneas' sea-voyage from Troy to Italy. (40), 411, (43) pp.. First edition by Daniel Heinsius of Virgil's works, beautiful produced by the Elzevirs in their famous duodecimo format, and here bound in finely gilt red morocco. A real masterpiece of typography the book was eagerly sought after by collectors and bibliographers from an early date. Reprinted twice under the same date, the first edition, first issue, is the only one to have two pages printed in red, one with a fragment of a letter to August, preceeding the Bucolics, and the other page with a dedication in verse to the Aeneid. Daniel Heinsius dedicated his Virgil-edition to his son Nicolas, and although his son later, as well as other scholars, like Harles and Heyne, found much to criticize in Heinsius' edition, the book still is highly valued for its rarity and beauty. Fine copy in beautiful binding.- (Binding very sl. rubbed). Willems 450; Dibdin, Greek & Latin Classics II, p. 547-548; De Bure 2684.