‎HEINSIUS,D. ‎
‎(Danielis Heinsii Poematum editio nova. Accedunt praeter alia libri, 'De Contemptu Mortis' antehac una non editi) ‎

‎Ad 1: (Leiden (Lugduni Batavorum), Sumptibus Elzeviriorum, et Ioannis Mairii, 1621) Ad 2: Leiden (Lugd. Batavorum), Ex Officina Elzeviriana, 1621. ‎

Reference : 159135

‎8vo. 2 volumes in 1: (VIII),474 (recte 478),(2 blank); (VI),167 (recte 165),(19 index) p. Red morocco. 14 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 832974838; Willems 187; according to Willems 'on lit sur le dern. f.: Lugduni Batavorum, typis Isaaci Elsevirii, iurati Academiae typographi, 1622; our copy has 1621. A mistake of Willems?; Berghman 862 & 863; Rahir 158 & 159; Breugelmans p. 180, 1621:3; Brunet 3,83; Ebert 9378) (Details: Charming copy. Back with 5 raised bands and ruled gilt. Boards with gilt borders and edges. Inside gilt dentelles. Edges of the bookblock gilt. Marbled endpapers. The title-page of the first volume is lacking and has been replaced by the title-page of the second volume. This title-page is printed in red and black. Elsevier's woodcut printer's mark on the title, depicting an old man standing in the shade of a vine-entwined elmtree, symbolising the symbiotic relationship between scholar and publisher. The motto is: 'Non solus'. Engraved portrait of Homer on p. 264 of the first volume) (Condition: Title-page of the first volume is lacking and has been replaced by the title-page of the second volume. Some wear to the extremes) (Note: The Dutch classical scholar of Flemish origin Daniel Heinsius, 1580-1655, who enjoyed international fame as an editor of classical texts, theorist of literary criticism, historian and neolatin poet, was professor of Poetics at the University of Leiden since 1603, extraordinarius Greek since 1605. After the death of J.J. Scaliger, to whose inner circle he belonged, he held the chair of Greek, from 1609 till 1647. He is best known for his edition of Aristotle's treatise on poetry (1611), which he studied in connexion with the 'Ars Poetica' of Horace. (...). In his pamphlet 'De tragoediae Constitutione', published in the same year (1611), he deals with all the essential points in Aristotle's treatise, giving proof that he has thoroughly imbibed the author's spirit. (...) It was through this work that he became a centre of Aristotelian influence in Holland. His influence extended, in France, to Chaplain and Balzac, to Racine and Corneille; in Germany to Opitz; and in England to Ben Jonson (...)'. (J.E. Sandys, 'A history of classical scholarship, N.Y. 1964, vol. 2, p. 314) Heinsius was a representative of the great age of Neo-Latin in the Low Countries, which encompasses the 16th century, and a good part of the 17th century. Here the Anacreontic-Petrarcan love poetry in Latin was kept alive. (J. IJsewijn, 'Companion to Neo-Latin studies', vol. 1, Leuven 1990, p. 154). The first part of this collection of Heinsius' poetry opens with early work, the 3 books of Sylvae, followed by Hipponax, 3 books of Elegiae, and Monobiblos. Then Heinsius' Epigrams and some occasional poetry; 125 pages with Greek poems, inspired by Theocritus and the Anthologia Graeca. The part with Greek poems starts with 'Peplus' (Gown), a series of epigrams which Heinsius composed on Greek authors and philosophers. This part is followed by 40 p. of Greek poetry in Latin translation, 'Elegiarum iuvenilium reliquiae', and is concluded with the 'Liber adoptivus'. The second volume contains Heinsius' last long Latin poem 'De contemptu mortis' (1621). It is a didactic poem, the finest of its time, in 4 books, wherein arguments, Platonic, Stoic and Christian, are set forth which explain why man should not fear death) (Collation: Pagination sometimes confusing. +1 (title-page of volume 2), *4 (minus leaf *1, the title-page of volume 1), A-2G8 (Gathering P begins with p. 223, in stead of 225, i.e. doubling p. 223 & 224; gathering Q begins with 237 in stead of 239, i.e. doubling 237 & 238). +4 (minus leaf +1, which replaces the title-page of volume 1), A-L8, M4 (In gathering I the pagination 129 & 130 is skipped) (Photographs on request) ‎