Dibdin, Thomas Frognall; Spencer, George John [Oth.]: 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 3) (London, 1814) [Cicognara, 4650-3]

86

GRAMMARS AND LEXICONS. sliorne; 1471.

566. Laurentiits Valla. De EjlegantiaLatinas
Lin guje. Printed hy Philip de Lignamine.
Pome. 1471- Eolio.

Editio Pkinceps. I have before observed that ‘ although Jenson’s
edition was printed in the sarne year with the present one, yet there
is reason to think that the impression by Lignamine is the earliest;
since Laurentius Valla resided at Rome, and would of necessity super-
intend the printing of his own work in the place where he lived, before
he suffered it to be printed at Veniee.’ Introd. to the Classics, vol. ii.
p. 418. The copy before us, although large and beautiful, is unfor-
tunately imperfect in the preliminary matter; as it wants (according
to Audiffredi, Edit. Rom. p. 82,) the verses upon the printer, the
Epistle of Valla to Tortellius, and the heads of the chapters, or rubrics ;
which latter, alone, occupy 9 leaves. On the recto of the first leaf of
the present copy, we read thus, without any prefix:

YM SEPE MECVM NOSTRO/
rum maiorum Res gestas : Alioruq; Vel
populo^ Vel Regum cosydero : Vident
mihi non modo Ditionis nostri homines :

Verum etia lingup propagatione cpteris
omlbus antecelluisse. 8cc.

eoncluding as follows:

—.hi enim libri nihil fere quod ab aliis auctoribus:
iis dumtaxat qui extant: traditum est: continebunt: Atq;
hinc principum nostrum auspicemur.

The work immediately begins thus, without any space:

EVS DEA DEADVS DIA*MVS. DINVS
dina dinabus non dicimus. Item in quibusdauif
aliis ut filius filia filiabus^ 8cc.

* Sic.

t Sic.