sum which each produced at this sale of Maittaire's library.

The four plays of Euripides, viz. the MEDEA, HIPPOLITUS, ALCESTIS, and ANDROMACHE, sold for half a guinea.

The CALLIMACHUS, the rarest of all, one pound sixteen shillings.

The APOLLONIUS, for six shillings.

The ANTHOLOGIA, for seven shillings and sixpence.

The GNOME, which is also very scarce, for half a crown.

The aggregate sum of the whole was 31. 2s. 6d. The reader will find a minute and circumstantial description of them at vol. iii. p. 309, et seq.

BIBLIA POLYGLOTTA COMPLUTENSIA, 5 vols. folio. 1515, &c.

This copy of the Complutensian Polyglott is stated to have been imperfect, and to have wanted the four first chapters of Isaiah, and ten verses of the fifth. The original price of the work was fixed by the Pope at six dollars and a half. The Harleian copy was sold by Osborne for 491. A good and perfect copy would now, perhaps, produce sixty guineas; Maittaire's sold for fifty shillings.

P. 12.

VETUS TESTAMENTUM Juxta Septuaginta Romæ per Franciscum Zanettum. 1587.

This is the Bible by itself without the Testament, of which the celebrated CODEXVATICANUS was the prototype. Mr. Dibdin has described it well and at considerable length. Maittaire's copy sold for two guineas and a half; I do not pretend to know its value at the present period. perhaps four or five guineas. Lord Spencer has a copy on large paper, and there is one also in the Bishop of Ely's collection. It is in great estimation, and would probably sell for a large

sum.

SACRE SCRIPTURA Veteris Novæque Omnia. Græce apud Aldum et Andrean Socerum.

1518.

Mr. Dibdin has also so well described this book as to render any observations of mine superfuous.

Maittaire's copy sold for two pounds nineteen shillings.

PSALTERIUM Gr. et Lat. J. Placentino Inter preti, Mediol. 1481. Fol.

My friend Mr. Dibdin has not noticed this rare and curious book, which, as it involves a

great

great many interesting particulars, I shall expatiate upon at some length.

It is printed in columns, the Greek on one side, the Latin version on the other. Panzer represents the Greek type as rude and inelegant, but it seems the same, or nearly so, with the Lascaris; the Latin is very neat. At the end is Impressum Mediolani Anno M.CCCC.LXXXI die XX Septembris, but no printer's name.

It is the Editio Princeps of the Greek Psalter, and has prefixed a dedicatory epistle from Joannes Monachus the editor.

"Reverendo Patri et Domino. D. Lodovico Donato Episcopo Bergomensi."

JOANNES MONACHUS was a name common in the revival of literature, but the proper name of this "John the Monk" was Joannes Crestonus, or Crastonus, who was a Carmelite monk of Placentia; he was a very distinguished scholar, and author of different learned works, and among others, of the first Greek Lexicon noticed in vol. iii. p. 155 of this work. He was the friend of Masellus, whom he assisted in his publication of the works of St. Ambrose, he was highly esteemed for his knowledge of Greek by Philelphus, who thought himself the best Greek scholar of his time, and he assisted Jacobus Cruceus in his translation of the hymns of Callimachus into Latin hexameters, to which he prefixed a neat Latin

Epigram. His epistles also are highly commended by many authors, but his great works were this edition of the Psalter and his Lexicon. His prefatory epistle to this work, addressed ⚫ to Donatus Bishop of Bergamo, in the territories of Venice, peculiarly justifies what I have frequently observed in the progress of this work, that it contains many curious anecdotes connected with the revival of literature, and will well repay the learned reader's attention. He begins with pointing out to the bishop some extraordinary errors which had erept into various portions of the sacred writings, from the stupidity or negligence of the copiers of manuscripts; and he exhibits some extraordinary examples, one of which is worth mentioning: in the 10th chapter of St. Paul's epistle to the Hebrews some Latin versions read, Corpus autem aptasti mihi; others have it, aures autem aptasti mihi; in another place in the 100th psalm, the Latin versions of Jerom have viduam, where in the Greek the reading is npa prædam, &c. &c. He also explains some curious mistakes arising from the same cause in Strabo and Dionysius the geographer,

1

He proceeds to say that in this edition of the psalter, he has corrected no less than seventy corrupt passages, from a careful collation with the Greek, adding also various words which had been omitted. He explains also and refutes errors in the copies in common use, giving a decided preference to what he calls Psalterium Ambrosianum,

brosianum, as the most faithful.

The whole of

this prefatory epistle indicates a correct judg ment and great erudition,

To the psalter are subjoined what are called the Canticles, both of the Old and New Testament, the songs of Moses in Exodus and Deuteronomy, the prayer of Anna in the first book of Kings, of Isaiah, Jonah, &c. &c.

I hope the reader will not think that I have lost sight of the original object of this article, the price of the books in Maittaire's collection, but I trust that the subject will justify the digression.

This curious and extraordinary book sold for two shillings!! Dr. Askew's copy, perhaps the same, sold for sixteen guineas; the La Valliere copy for 216 livres.

- P. 20.

In this page, united with three other articles, not altogether unworthy of notice, we find the rare and beautiful book, hereafter described, selling for seven shillings.

There are two editions of this book by Aldus, one without a date, which is this of Maittaire's, the other of the year 1517. Both are of great rarity and value, but this without a date is the scarcest of all the books which issued from the press of Aldus, and is probably at this time worth many guineas.

Maittaire's