Dibdin, Thomas Frognall; Spencer, George John [Bearb.]: Bibliotheca Spenceriana: or a descriptive catalogue of the books printed in the fifteenth century, and of many valuable first editions, in the library of George John Earl Spencer (Band 2) (London, 1814) [Cicognara, 4650-2]

27 o

ANCIENT CLASSICS. \Without Date.

372. Plinius Junior. Epistou.®. Panegyricus.
De Viris Illustribus. Supposed to have heen
printedhy Jlntony JMoretus. Venice. TVithout
Date. Quarto.

This is evidently the impression of which Seemiller, Incunab. Tijpog.
fasc. iii. p. 175-6, has given so particular and satisfactory an account;
and which is ascribed by this bibliographer, upon the faith of the
colophon, (supported by the opinion of Orlandi,) to the press
of Antony Moretus at Venice. According to Orlandi, Moretus
printed the Epistles of L. Aretin, and Piiny the younger in the year
1495. See Orig. e Progress. della Stampa, p. 58. La Serna Santander
says that Moretus printed in conjunction with Jerom Alexandrinus in
the same year: Dict. Bibliogr. Choisi, vol. i. p. 206. On the recto of
the first leaf we read this prefix :

C. PLINII SECVNDI NOVOCOMENISIS ORATORIS EPI
STOLARVM LIBER PRIMVS.

The Epistles conclude on the reverse of i v. On the recto of i vj, the
Panegyric begins, ending on the recto of n vj. The signatures
1 and m, run in fours ; n has six, the rest eight. On the reverse
of n vj, we read a list of the contents of the volume- On the recto
of the following leaf A, commenee the Lives of Illustrious Men, with
this title:

C. PLINII SECVNDI IVNIORIS LIBER ILLVSTRIVM VI
RORVM INCIPIT.

A and B have each 4 leaves; C lias six. On the recto of C vj is the
following subscription—above alluded to:

Marcelli Philoxeni ad Antonium Moretum Epigramma.

Omnibus hsec gp nunc tam recte impressa leguntur
Quod mendosa libri littera nulla uiget:

Antoni Morete fuit tua cura : laborq;

Namq; faues claris sedulis ingeniis.

Quisquis amat ueteres : grates tibi semper habebit:

Et debet studio Plynius ipse tuo.