Notices of New Works [pp. 245-248]

1849.] Notices of New Works. 245
has a specimen of the earliest unquestionable
date; it is a bull of Pope Nicholas V., granting
plenary indulgence to all Christians bearing arms
against the Turks, who at that period were pushing on their conquests in the Mediterranean; the
date is 1453. Another of the next year has evidently been altered in the date, by the insertion
with a pen of an I to the M.CCCC.LIII., probably that the copies remaining from the preceding
year might answer for 1454, and save the necessity of a new impression. Nicholas V. died
in March, 1455, and was succeeded by Callixtus
III.; it was therefore necessary to issue a new
bull. Accordingly we find that the one of the
date of 1455 is in entirely different type, and the
comparison of the two furnishes the best argument in favor of the priority of Gutenberg's Bible printed at Mentz, (now known as the Mazarin Bible,) to that of Pfister; printed probably
between 1456 and 1460, but without date or place,
Pfister's remarkable F being found on the last
dated bull. Copies of both these Bibles are in
the Althorp Library, and of the first there is a
copy in New York, but it cannot be seen. Next
in order is the earliest Bible with a date-that of
Faust and Scheffer, printed at Mentz, 1462, of
which Lord Spencer has a magnificent copy on
vellum, and then a suite of the early Bibles in all
languages; in every case, the first edition in each
language is found in this library. The earliest
printed book with a date is the Psalter of 1457,
of which there is a copy in fine preservation.
The earliest English Bible is the one translated
from the Latin and Dutch, by Miles Coverdale,
and printed by him in the Low Countries in 1535,
as it was not permitted to be done in England,
being before Henry VIII. had decided for the
Protestant faith. All the other English versions
to the time of the received one, follow in proper
*order in the library.
In first editions of the Greek and Latin Classics, the Library is equally rich; not one of the
rare ones is wanting. I never thought much of
Alduses until I saw the Althorp set in vellum,
and now I know how beautiful they are. Until
the addition of the Cassano Library to his col_................................................
lection, Lord Spencer had no copies of the very
rare Naples Horace and Juvenal; finding them
in the possession of the Duke of Cassano, he offered him six hundred pounds sterling for these
two small volumes, which offer the Duke declin
Dibdin's account of it used to form one of my
stock stories, and now I can add that I have had
the precious volume in hand; it is in the Althorp
Library, having been purchased by the late Lord
Spencer for about ~900, when it Was sold under
a decree to satisfy the claims of the Duke of
Roxburgh's heirs, to whom it had belonged,
when bought by the Marquis of Blandford. The
whole history of this volume, from the time of
its being discovered in the Library of the Monastery, until it came into Lord Spencer's hands,
is most curious: it has now found a proper resting-place, and reposes quietly among its fit associates.
I cannot quit the subject of the Althorp Library, without observing, that every thing there is in
proper keeping, every copy is a choice one, all
books of prints are proofs before the letters, the
binding of every volume is of the best and richest kind, and they are kept as neatly and as free
from dust as fresh books. The number is not
very great, 56,000 volumes only, but that is
enough to include every thing worth having. As
to the paintings and other works of art, which
form the embellishments of the ZEdes Althorpianae, they are just such as one would desire to
see in such a princely residence; but I have already trespassed too long on your patience to
enter upon an account of them now. Never
have I spent a more agreeable or a more interesting day than that of my visit to Althorp, and
nowhere have I met a kinder and more courteous reception.
NOTICES OF NEW WORKS.
CLASSICAL SERIES, by Drs. Schmitz and Zumpt. C. Julii
Cesaris Commentarii De Bello Gallico. Philadelphia:
Lea & Blanchard. 1847.
C. JuLIUS CMESAR'S COMMENTARIES ON THE GALLIC
WAR. With English Notes, Critical and Explanatory,
a Lexicon, Indexes, &c. By Rev. J. A. Spencer, A. M.,
Editor of the "New Testament in Greek, with notes on
the Historical Books," "Arnold's Series of Greek and
Latin Books," &c. New York. D. Appleton & Co., 200
Broadway. Philadelphia. Geo. S. Appleton, 148 Ches nut Street.
ed, unless Lord Spencer would extend his pur-..
ed, unless Lord Spencer would extend his pur- These publications have been on our table for some time,
chase to the whole library; it was in this way and as editions of a classic author, so celebrated and so
that the Cassano Library happened to be bought much used, deserved an earlier notice. Editions of Caesar
by him. Don't fret, I've little more to add. You are indeed "plenty as blackberries." But a few years
remember Dibdin's glowing account in his Bibli- ago, Prof Anthon put forth a mammoth one, which appa mania of the aldarfar Boccaccio for which rently contained every thing which could possibly be de fthe V ldu r BofMai, for which'sired by any one, and,] certainly more than is desirable for
the Duke of Marlborough, when Marquis of young beginners. Yet it was far from preventing the preBlandford, paid, or rather agreed to pay, ~2260. paration of others; how many we cannot say. Mr. Spen
1849,1
Notices of New Works.
245