Thomas Frognall Dibdin - A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Three

T >> Thomas Frognall Dibdin >> A Bibliographical, Antiquarian and Picturesque Tour in France and Germany, Volume Three

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We will begin with the best and most ancient of all Books:--the BIBLE. They
have a very singular copy of what is called the _Mazarine edition_: or
rather the parent impression of the sacred text:--inasmuch as it contains
(what, I believe, no other copy in Europe contains, and therefore M.
Bernhard properly considers it as unique) _four printed leaves of a table_,
as directions to the Rubricator. At the end of the Psalter is a ms. note
thus: "_Explicit Psalterium, 61_." This copy is in other respects far from
being desirable, for it is cropt, and in very ordinary calf binding.
_Mentelin's German Bible_. Here are two copies of this first impression of
the Bible in the German language: both of which have distinct claims to
render them very desirable. In the one is an inscription, in the German
language, of which M. Bernhard supplied me with the following literal
version: "_Hector Mulich and Otilia his wife; who bought this Bible in the
year of Our Lord, 1466, on the twenty-seventh day of June, for twelve
florins_." Their arms are below. The whole is decidedly a coeval
inscription. Here, therefore, is another testimony[55] of the printing of
this Bible at least as early as the year 1466. At the end of the book of
Jeremiah, in the same copy, is a ms. entry of 1467; "_sub Papa Paulo
Secundo et sub Imperatore Frederico tertio_." The second copy of this
edition, preserved in the same library, has a German ms. memorandum,
executed in red ink, stating that this edition is "_well translated,
without the addition of a single word, faithful to the Latin: printed at
Strasbourg with great care_." This memorandum is doubtless of the time of
the publication of the edition; and the Curators of the library very
judiciously keep both copies.

A third, or triplicate copy, of Mentelin's edition--much finer than either
of the preceding--and indeed abounding with rough edges--was purchased by
me for the library in St. James's place; but it was not obtained for a sum
beneath its full value.[56]

Here is a copy of _Eggesteyn's Latin Bible_, containing forty-five lines in
a full page, with the important date of "_24th May, 1466_"--in a coeval ms.
memorandum. Thus, you see, here is a date two years earlier[57] than that
in a copy of the same Bible in the Public Library at Strasbourg; and I
think, from hence, we are well warranted in supposing that both Mentelin
and Eggesteyn had their presses in full play at Strasbourg in 1466--if not
earlier. This copy of Eggesteyn's first Bible, which is in its original
binding of wood, is as fine and large as it is precious.

I shall continue, miscellaneously, with the earlier printed books. _T.
Aquinas de Virtutibus et Vitiis_; printed by _Mentelin_ in his smallest
character. At the end, there is the following inscription, in faded green
ink; _Johannes Bamler de Augusta hui^9 libri Illuiator Anno 1468_. Thus
Bamler should seem to be an illuminator as well as printer,[58] and Panzer
is wrong in supposing that Bamler _printed_ this book. Of course Panzer
formed his judgment from a copy which wanted such accidental attestation.
_Ptolemy_, 1462: with all the maps, coloured. _Livy_ (1469): very fine--in
its original binding--full sixteen inches high. _Caesar_, 1469: very fine,
in the original binding. _Lucan_, 1469: equally fine, and coated in the
same manner. _Apuleius_, 1469: imperfect and dirty. The foregoing, you
know, are all EDITIONES PRINCIPES. But judge of my surprise on finding
neither the first edition of _Terence_, nor of _Valerius Maximus_, nor of
_Virgil_[59]--all by Mentelin. I enquired for the first _Roman_ or _Bologna
Ovid_: but in vain. It seemed that I was enquiring for "blue
diamonds;"[60]--so precious and rare are these two latter works.

Here are very fine copies of the _Philosophical works of Cicero, printed by
Ulric Han_--with the exception of the Tusculan Questions and the treatise
upon Oratory, of the dates of 1468, 1469--which are unluckily wanting. M.
Bernhard preserves _four_ copies of the _Euclid_ of 1482, because they have
printed variations in the margins. One of these copies has the prefix, or
preface of one page, printed in letters of gold. I saw another such a copy
at Paris. Here is the _Milan Horace of 1474_--the text only. The
_Catholicon by Gutenberg, of 1460_: UPON VELLUM: quite perfect as to the
text, but much cropt, and many pieces sliced out of the margins--for
purposes, which it were now idle to enquire after; although I have heard of
a Durandus of 1459 in our own country, which, in ancient times, had been so
served for the purpose of writing directions on parcels of game, &c.
_Catholicon of 1469 by G. Zeiner_; also UPON VELLUM, and equally cropt--but
otherwise sound and clean. This copy contains an ancient manuscript note
which must be erroneous; as it professes the first owner to have got
possession of the book before it was _printed_: in other words, an _unit_
was omitted in the date, and we should read 1469 for 1468.[61]

Among the more precious ITALIAN BOOKS, is a remarkably fine copy of the old
edition of the _Decameron of Boccaccio_, called the _Deo Gracias_--which
Lord Spencer purchased at the sale of the Borromeo library in London, last
year. It is quite perfect, and in a fine, large condition. It was taken to
Paris on a certain memorable occasion, and returned hither on an occasion
equally memorable. It contains 253 leaves of text and two of table; and has
red ms. prefixes. It came originally from the library of Petrus Victorius,
from which indeed there are many books in this collection, and was bought
by the King of Bavaria at Rome. What was curious, M. Bernhard shewed me a
minute valuation of this very rare volume, which he had estimated at 1100
florins--somewhere about L20. below the price given by Lord Spencer for his
copy, of which four leaves are supplied by ms. Here is a magnificent copy
of the _Dante of 1481_, with XX CUTS; the twentieth being precisely similar
to that of which a fac-simile appears in the B.S. This copy was _demanded_
by the library at Paris, and xix. cuts only were specified in the demand;
the twentieth cut was therefore secreted, from another copy--which other
copy has a duplicate of the first cut, pasted at the end of the preface.
The impressions of the cuts, in the copy under description, are worthy of
the condition of the text and of the amplitude of the margins. It is a
noble book, in every point of view.

I was shewn a great curiosity by this able bibliographer; nothing less than
a sheet, or _broadside_, containing _specimens of types from Ratdolf's
press_. This sheet is in beautiful preservation, and is executed in double
columns. The first ten specimens are in the _gothic_ letter, with a
gradually diminishing type. The last is thus:

_Hunc adeas mira quicunq: volumina queris
Arte uel ex animo pressa fuisse tuo
Seruiet iste tibi: nobis (sic) iure sorores
Incolumem seruet vsq: rogare licet._

This is succeeded by three gradually diminishing specimens of the printer's
_roman_ letter. Then, four lines of Greek, in the Jensonian or Venetian
character: next, in large black letter, as below.[62]

But a still greater curiosity, in my estimation, was a small leaf; by way
of _advertisement_, containing a list of publications issuing from the
press of a printer whose name has not yet been discovered, and attached
apparently to a copy of the _Fortalitium Fidei_; in which it was found.
Luckily there was a duplicate of this little broadside--or
advertisement--and I prevailed upon the curators, or rather upon M.
Bernhard (whose exclusive property it was) to part with this Sibylline
leaf, containing only nineteen lines, for a copy of the _AEdes Althorpianae--
_as soon as that work should be published.[63] Of course, this is secured
for the library in St. James's Place.

I am now hastening to the close of this catalogue of the Munich
book-treasures. You remember my having mentioned a sort of oblong cabinet,
where they keep the books PRINTED UPON VELLUM--together with block books,
and a few of the more ancient and highly illuminated MSS. I visited this
cabinet the first thing on entering--and the last thing on leaving--the
Public Library. "Where are your _Vellum Alduses_, good Mr. Bernhard?" said
I to my willing and instructive guide. "You shall see only _two_ of
them"--(rejoined he) but from these you must not judge of the remainder. So
saying, he put into my hands the _first editions of Horace and Virgil_,
each of 1501, and bound in one volume, in old red morocco. They were
gems--almost of the very first order, and--almost of their original
magnitude: measuring six inches and three eighths, by three inches and
seven eighths. They are likewise sound and clean: but the Virgil is not
equal to Lord Spencer's similar copy, in whiteness of colour, or beauty of
illumination. Indeed the illuminations in the Munich copy are left in an
unfinished state. In the ardour of the moment I talked of these two
precious volumes being worth "120 louis d'or." M.B. smiled gently, as he
heard me, and deliberately returned the volumes to their
stations--intimating, by his manner, that not thrice that sum should
dispossess the library of such treasures. I have lost my memoranda as to
the number of these vellum Alduses; but the impression upon my mind is,
that they have not more than _six_.

Of course, I asked for a VELLUM _Tewrdanckhs_ of 1517, and my guide
forthwith placed _two_ MEMBRANACEOUS copies of this impression before
me:--adding, that almost every copy contained variations, more or less, in
the text. Indeed I found M.B. "doctissimus" upon this work; and I think he
said that he had published upon it as well as Camus.[64] This is about the
ninety-ninth time that I have most sensibly regretted my utter ignorance,
of the language (German) in which it pleaseth M. Bernhard to put forth his
instructive bibliographical lucubrations. Of these two copies, one has the
cuts coloured, and is very little cropt: the other has the cuts uncoloured,
and is decidedly cropt.

With the Tewrdanckhs, I take my leave both of the public library of Munich
and (for the present) of its obliging and well-informed Second Librarian.
But I must not leave this WORLD OF BOOKS without imparting to you the
satisfaction which I felt on witnessing half a dozen grave-looking scribes
employed, chiefly under the direction of M. Bernhard, in making out a
classed catalogue of _Fifteeners_--preparatory to the sale of their
Duplicates. This catalogue will be important in many respects; and I hope
to see it in my own country within two years from the date of the present
epistle.[65]

And now methinks it is high time to put the concluding paragraph to this
said epistle--so charged with bibliographical intelligence respecting the
capital of Bavaria. You must give it more than _one_ perusal if you wish to
digest it thoroughly. My next, within forty-eight hours hereof, will leave
me on the eve of departure from hence. In the meanwhile, prepare for some
pleasant BOOK TIDINGS in my ensuing despatch.

[40] Both the nave and towers appear in Hartmann Schedel's view of Munich,
in the _Nuremberg Chronicle_ of 1493: see fol. ccxxvi. The
"pepper-box" terminations are, I conceive, of a later date.

[41] I take this to be the famous Albert who died in 1500; and who, in
Schedel's time, kept lions for his disport--at Munich: "qui sua
magnificentia plures nutrit leones" _Chron. Norimb._ 1493.
_Ibid._

[42] The steeple fell down in the year 1599, and has never been rebuilt.

[43] See p. 87 ante.

[44] See p. 66 ante.

[45] [Sir J. Reynolds criticised these pictures when they were in the
_Dusseldorf Gallery_: but I cannot just now lay my hand upon his
remarks.]

[46] [It has made, and is yet making, great strides towards the
accomplishment of the above-mentioned objects--since the above passage
was written.]

[47] [With the exception of the first, (although I do not make this
exception with _confidence_) all the above-named gentlemen have
CEASED TO EXIST. Mr. Bernhard I believe died before the publication of
the preceding edition of this work: and I add, with perfect sincerity,
that _his_ decease, and that of _M. Adam Bartsch_ (vide
post) were, to me, among the bitterest regrets which I ever
experienced in my intercourse with foreign literati.

[48] The able editor of the Romance of Sir TRISTREAM, ascribed to Thomas of
Ercildoune, appears to have been entirely ignorant of the existence of
this highly curious and coeval German version. I regret that I am
unable to give the reader a complete analysis of the whole.

From this account, I select the following very small portion--of
fidelity of version--with a fac-simile of one of the Embellishments.

So all his thoughts were wavering:

_Wilen abe vn wilent an_--
One while above, and one while down,
_Er tet wol an im selben schin_
He truly on himself made shew,
_Daz der minnende mot_
That an amorous mind behaves
_Reht als der vrie fogel tot_
Even as the bird in the open air,
_Der durch die friheit dier hat_
Who, by the liberty he enjoys,
_Vf daz gelimde twi gestat_
Slightly sits on the lime-twig down;
_Als er des limes danne entsebet_
As soon as he the lime descrys,
_Vnd er sieh vf ze fluhte hebet_
And rises up to fly in haste,
_So chlebet er mit den fossen an_.
His feet are clinging to the twig.

This simile of the bird seems expressed in the illumination, of which
the outline has been faithfully copied by Mr. Lewis:

[Illustration]

[49] See page 33 ante.

[50] It appeared in the year 1808, and was sold for 2l. 12s. 6d. But a
blank space was left in the middle--which, in the original, is
occupied by a heavy gothic text. The publication of the continuation
by Lucas Cranach appeared in 1818.

[51] Now in the Collection of Henry Perkins, Esq.

[52] See _Bibl. Spenceriana_, vol. i. p. xv-xxiii. where fac-similes
of some of the cuts will be found.

[53] Where it is fully described, in vol. ii. p. 188, &c. with fac-similes
of the type and ornaments. An entire page of it is given at p. 189.

[54] See _Bibl. Spenceriana_, vol. i. p. xxxi.

[55] A copy in the public library at Stuttgart has a ms. memorandum in
which the same dominical date is entered. See note, at page 21 ante.

[56] It must be mentioned, however, that a fine copy of the _German
edition of Breydenbach's Travels, of 1486_, was given into the
bargain.

[57] In the _Bibl. Spencer_, vol. i. p. 38-9--where a fac-simile of
the type of this edition is given--the impression is supposed to have
been executed in "the year 1468 at latest." The inscription of 1468 in
the Strasbourg copy (see vol. ii. p. 404.) should seem at least to
justify the caution of this conclusion. But, from the above, we are as
justified in assigning to it a date of at least two years earlier.

[58] Lord Spencer possesses a copy of _St. Austin de Civitate Dei_,
with the Commentary of Trivetus, printed by Mentelin, which was also
illuminated by Bamler in the same year as above--1468. The memorandum
to this effect, by Bamler, is given in the _AEdes Althorpianae_;
vol. ii. p. 20.

[59] I will not say _positively_ that the VIRGIL is _not_ there;
but I am pretty sure of the absence of the two preceding works. My
authority was, of course, the obliging and well informed M. Bernhard.

[60] See page 115 ante.

[61] The inscription is this: "_Anno dni Millesimo cccc^o lxviij^o.
Conparatus est iste Katholicon tpe Iohis Hachinger h^{9} ccclie p
tunc imeriti pptti. p. xlviij Aureis R flor^{9} taxatus p. H xxi
faciunt in moneta Vsuali xlvj t d_." So that it seems a copy of
this work, upon vellum, was worth at the time of its publication,
_forty-six golden florins_.

[62] _Indicis characterum diversarum manerieru impressioni
parataru: Finis. Erhardi Ratdolt Augustensis viri solertissimi:
preclaro ingenio & mirifica arte: qua olim Venetijs excelluit
celebratissimus. In imperiali nunc vrbe Auguste vindelicorum
laudatissime impressioni dedit. Annoq; salutis_ M.CCCC.LXXXXVI.
_Cale Aprilis Sidere felici compleuit_.

[63] An admirably executed fac-simile of the above curious document appears
in the work here referred to: vol. ii. p. 131--where the subject of
its probable printer is gone into at considerable length.

[64] The reader, if he have leisure and inclination, may consult a long
note in the _Bibliographical Decameron_, vol. i. p. 201,
respecting the best authorities to be consulted upon the above very
splendid and distinguished performance. Camus is included in the list
of authorities referred to.

[65] Seven years have elapsed since the above was written, but no CLASSED
CATALOGUE of any portion of the Public Library of Munich has appeared
in this country. Speaking of _duplicates_, not printed in the
fifteenth century, it may be worth observing that they have at Munich
not fewer than six copies (double the number of those at Strasbourg;)
of the ACTA SANCTORUM; good handsome copies in vellum binding.

[Since the first edition of this Tour was published, several copies of
this stupendous, but unfortunately imperfect work, have been imported
into England: among which, however, none, to my recollection, have
found their way from MUNICH. Indeed, the heavy expense of carriage is
almost an interdiction: unless the copies were obtained at very
moderate prices.]

LETTER VI.

FURTHER BOOK-ACQUISITIONS. SOCIETY. THE ARTS.

The bright bibliographical star, which shone upon me at Stuttgart, has
continued to shine with the same benign lustre at this place. "[Greek:
_Heureka Heureka_]"!--the scarcest and brightest of all the ALDINE GEMS has
been found and secured by me: that gem, for which M. Renouard still
continues to sigh and to rave, alternately, in despair of a _perfect_ copy;
and which has, only very recently, been placed among the most brilliant
ornaments of the Royal Library at Paris.[66] What may these strange
exclamations and inuendos imply?--methinks I hear you say. You shall know
in a trice--which just brings me to the very point with which my previous
epistle concluded. Those "pleasant book-tidings," referred to in my last,
and postponed for the present opportunity, are "as hereafter followeth."

In my frequent conversations with the Guardians of the Public Library, I
learnt that one STOEGER, a bookseller chiefly devoted to the purchase and
sale of _Aldine_ volumes, resided in this metropolis; that his abode was
rather private than public; and that his "magasin" was lodged on the second
or third floor, in a row of goodly houses, to the right, on entering the
city. M. Bernhard added, that Mr. Stoeger had even a copy of the first
Aldine edition of the _Greek hours_ (printed in 1497)--which is the very
gem above alluded to; "but (observed my intelligent informant, as he
accompanied me to the door of the bookseller in question) "he will not part
with it: for both the Prince Royal and our Public Library have been
incessant in their importunities to possess it. He sets an extravagant
price upon it." Having been instructed from early youth, "never to take
that for _granted_ which remained to be _proved_," I thanked the worthy M.
Bernhard for his intelligence; and, wishing him a good morning, entered the
chamber of Mr. Stoeger.

I had previously heard (and think that I have before made mention) of the
eagerness with which the Prince Royal of Bavaria purchases _Alduses_; and
own, that, had I chosen to reflect one little minute, I might have been
sufficiently disheartened at any reasonable prospect of success, against
two such formidable opponents as the Prince and the Public Library.
However, in cases of emergency, 'tis better to think courageously and to
act decisively. I entered therefore the chamber of this Aldine bookseller,
resolved upon bearing away the prize--"coute qu'il coute"--provided that
prize were not absolutely destined for another. M. Stoeger saluted me
formally but graciously. He is a short, spare man, with a sharp pair of
dark eyes, and speaks French with tolerable fluency. We immediately
commenced a warm bibliographical discussion; when Mr. Stoeger, all of a
sudden, seemed to raise himself to the height of six feet--gave three
strides across the room--and exclaimed, "Well, Sir; the cabinet of my Lord
Spencer wants something which I possess in yonder drawer." I told him that
I knew what it was he alluded to; and, with the same decision with which I
seemed to bespeak the two Virgils at Stuttgart, I observed, that "_that_
want would soon cease; for that ere I quitted the room, the book in
question would doubtless become the property of the nobleman whom he had
just mentioned." Mr. Stoeger, for three seconds, was lost in astonishment:
but instinctively, as it were; he approached the drawer: opened it: and
shewed me an unbound, sombre-looking, but sound and perfect copy of the
_first edition_ of the GREEK HOURS, _printed by Aldus_.

As I had among my papers a collation of the perfect copy at Paris, I soon
discovered that Mr. Stoeger's copy was also complete; and ... in less than
fifteen minutes I gained a _complete victory_ over the Prince Royal of
Bavaria and the corps bibliographique of Messrs. Von Moll, Schlichtegroll,
Scherer, Bernhard, &c.--the directors and guardians of the Public Library
at Munich. In other words, this tiny book, measuring not quite four inches,
by not quite three, was _secured_--for the cabinet in question--at the
price of * * florins!! The vender, as I shrewdly suspect, had bought it of
a brother bookseller at Augsbourg,[67]of the name of KRANSFELDER (a worthy
man; whom I visited--but with whom I found nothing but untransportable
Latin and German folios) for ... peradventure only the _hundredth part_ of
the sum which he was now to receive. What shall we say? The vender is
designated by Mr. Schlichtegroll, in the preface of the last sale catalogue
of the duplicates of the Public Library (1815, 8vo.) as "bibliopola
honestissimus"--and let us hope that he merits the epithet. Besides, books
of this excessive rarity are objects of mere caprice and fancy. To return
to this "bibliopola honestissimus," I looked out a few more tempting
articles, of the Aldine character,[68] and receiving one or two as a
douceur; in the shape a present, settled my account with Mr. Stoeger ...
and returned to my lodging more and more confirmed in the truth of the
position of "not taking _that_ for granted which remained to be _proved_."
The whole of this transaction was, if I may so speak, in the naughty vanity
of my heart, a sort of _octodecimo_ illustration of the "VENI, VIDI, VICI"
of a certain illustrious character of antiquity.

Of a very different character from this _Aldine bibliopolist_ is a
bookseller of the name of VON FISCHHEIM: the simplest, the merriest, the
most artless of his fraternity. It was my good friend Mr. Hess (of whom I
shall presently speak somewhat more at large) who gave me information of
his residence. "You will find there (added he) all sorts of old books, old
drawings, pictures, and curiosities." What a provocative for an immediate
and incessant attack! I took my valet with me--for I was told that Mr. Von
Fischheim could not speak a word of French--and within twenty minutes of
receiving the information, found myself in the dark and dreary premises of
this same bibliopolist. He lives on the first floor; but the way thither is
almost perilous. Mr. Fischheim's cabinet of curiosities was crammed even to
suffocation; and it seemed as if a century had elapsed since a vent-hole
had been opened for the circulation of fresh air. I requested the favour of
a pinch of snuff from Mr. Fischheim's box, to counteract all unpleasant
sensations arising from effluvia of a variety of description--but I
recommend English visitors in general to _smoke a segar_ while they rummage
among the curiosities of Mr. Fischheim's cabinet! Old Tom Hearne might
here, in a few minutes, have fancied himself ... any thing he pleased!

The owner of these miscellaneous treasures wore one unvarying smile upon
his countenance during the whole time of my remaining with him. He saw me
reject this, and select that; cry "pish" upon one article, and "bravo" upon
another--with the same settled complacency of countenance. His responses
were short and pithy, and I must add, pleasant: for, having entirely given
up all hopes of securing any thing in the shape of a good picture, a good
bust, or a genuine illumination from a rich old MS., I confined myself
strictly to printed books--and obtained some very rare, precious, and
beautifully-conditioned volumes upon most reasonable and acceptable
terms.[69] Having completed my purchase, the books were sent to the hotel
by a shopman, in the sorriest possible garb, but who wore, nevertheless, a
mark of military distinction in his button-hole. From henceforth I can
neither think, nor speak, but with kindness of Paul Ludwig Von Fischheim,
the simplest, the merriest, and most artless of his fraternity.

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