DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.30695#0274
176
THEOLOGY.
[De Civ. Dei.
69. Augustin. La Cite de Dieu. Traduite a
la requisition de Charles Y. Roi de France, par
Raoul de Preulles, or Praesles. Printed hy
Jehan Dupre and Pierre Gerard. Ahheville.
1486. Folio. 2 vols.
Although tliese cannot be called volumes of uncommon occurrence,
they are interesting to the typographical antiquary, from their being
the earliest known specimen of the Abbeville press, and from their
exhibiting types, paper, and wood cuts, of extraordinary beauty and
singularity. The present impression is also tlie first french version
of the Original; and merits a somewhat partieular description. On
tlie recto of sign. a iv.
p commence la taBle tiu premiec li
ure he monseigneur £aint auguoti
tre la cite tie tiieu qui contient xxxvi. cljapi
tre^
The table occupies the first leaf. On the recto of the ensuing one,
sign. a iii, commences the translator’s dedication to Charles the V. of
France. This is beneath a magnificent wood cut, representing that
monarch approaching St. Austin, who is sitting before his desk. An
Angel, bearing the arms of France, is above Charles, who is turning
round and facing the celestial messenger. At a distance, to the right,
is a man sitting before a desk: in small. The translator begins by
comparing his author to the Eagle; from the latter’s possessing the
properties of soaring beyond the reach of all birds—of looking at the
sun steadfastly, without blinking—and of proving her young ones, by
throwing those out of the nest who cannot look at the sun in like
manner. He goes on: ‘ Et quant iay bien considere et ymagine ces
trois haultes proprietez, il me semble que ie ne les puis mieulx com-
parasier-qu a monseigneur saint augustin,’ &c.
On sign. a v begins another prologue of the translator. On the
reverse of sign. a vj is the title to the first book, above a large wood
cut (7 inches by 6') of a town besieged, and several men holding a con-
sultation, in the fore-ground, with their royal commander. The first
THEOLOGY.
[De Civ. Dei.
69. Augustin. La Cite de Dieu. Traduite a
la requisition de Charles Y. Roi de France, par
Raoul de Preulles, or Praesles. Printed hy
Jehan Dupre and Pierre Gerard. Ahheville.
1486. Folio. 2 vols.
Although tliese cannot be called volumes of uncommon occurrence,
they are interesting to the typographical antiquary, from their being
the earliest known specimen of the Abbeville press, and from their
exhibiting types, paper, and wood cuts, of extraordinary beauty and
singularity. The present impression is also tlie first french version
of the Original; and merits a somewhat partieular description. On
tlie recto of sign. a iv.
p commence la taBle tiu premiec li
ure he monseigneur £aint auguoti
tre la cite tie tiieu qui contient xxxvi. cljapi
tre^
The table occupies the first leaf. On the recto of the ensuing one,
sign. a iii, commences the translator’s dedication to Charles the V. of
France. This is beneath a magnificent wood cut, representing that
monarch approaching St. Austin, who is sitting before his desk. An
Angel, bearing the arms of France, is above Charles, who is turning
round and facing the celestial messenger. At a distance, to the right,
is a man sitting before a desk: in small. The translator begins by
comparing his author to the Eagle; from the latter’s possessing the
properties of soaring beyond the reach of all birds—of looking at the
sun steadfastly, without blinking—and of proving her young ones, by
throwing those out of the nest who cannot look at the sun in like
manner. He goes on: ‘ Et quant iay bien considere et ymagine ces
trois haultes proprietez, il me semble que ie ne les puis mieulx com-
parasier-qu a monseigneur saint augustin,’ &c.
On sign. a v begins another prologue of the translator. On the
reverse of sign. a vj is the title to the first book, above a large wood
cut (7 inches by 6') of a town besieged, and several men holding a con-
sultation, in the fore-ground, with their royal commander. The first