BOCCACCIO.

Il Decamerone. [Ed. A. P. Manutius].

      Venice, Aldo & Andrea Torresani, November 1522. First Aldine edition, embodying a new text, and thefirst containing the three added Novelle (not by Boccaccio) at end.In the prefatory letter addressed to Roberto Magio, the printer Andrea Torresani – Aldus’ father-in-law – says that the text was prepared and corrected by Aldus himself. “Gran tempo ha ... che la presente opera … alla sua vera & sana lettione ridotta … è da Aldo mio cognato, & c.”. If this is true it is the only vernacular text that Aldus edited. Perhaps, Martin Davies suggests, Torresani means he just gathered the material, which he might then have given to say a Bembo or Navagero to edit. Renouard says that the edition served as textual basis for the Giunta edition of 1527, noting “Dans la Bibliothèque Médicis, à Florence, on en conserve l’exemplaire que les Junte ont en 1527 donné pour copie à leurs compositeurs”.This is the copy listed in the Quaritch Aldine catalogue of 1929, formerly in the library of the Earl of Powis.