editor (Joh. Honorius Crispus,) in a prefatory address to Matthew Lupinus, observes; "Superioribus diebus a quibusdam "adolescentibus studiosis rogatus, ut Epistolas Horatii lectione 66 quotidiana interpretarer; ne desiderium eorum frustrarer, "promisi me facturum, quod vellent." This edition is by no means of common occurrence.

VENET. 8vo. 1501. Apud Aldum.

This edition is exceedingly rare and valuable, and is the first of this poet which issued from the Aldine press; it is printed in a neat Italic character, and forms a beautiful companion to the Juvenal and Virgil of the same date. On the 143rd leaf is the following singular extract from the privilege granted to this printer; Jussu, mandatoue Ill. P. S. Q. V. Nobilis. "Literator. Plebeie. Impressor. Mercator. Mercenarie quis"quis es, Id genus characteres Decennium ne attingito. Libros "huiuscemodi literulis excusos neu impressito neue uendito. "Si quis huiusce iussionis ergo aduersus ierit, feceritue, pænas "statutas pendito, eæq; Magistratus. Orphanotrophii. Dela"toris sunto. ALDVS. M. R." In the Bibl. Parisina, (No. 207,) we find an edition of the works of this poet, which is stated to have been printed by Aldus in 1503; it is there said to be so exceedingly rare as to have hitherto eluded the researches of bibliographers; respecting which, Renouard observes, that Mr. Edwards added to the Catalogue of M, Paris a great number of works which he had purchased in Italy and elsewhere, on the assertions of Italian booksellers, who informed him of this edition, and many other Aldine publications, which are all equally extraordinary. It would appear that this insertion in the sale catalogue of an important collection of books, ought to confirm the reality of its existence, because it is supposed that he who made the catalogue has inspected all those books which are inserted in it; but at the sale neither this edition, nor several others, some of which are alluded to by Renouard, whose existence are equally imaginary, made their appearance. See his Annales, t. i. p. 72. In 1509, Aldus reprinted that of 1501, with the addition of a tract de metrorum generibus,' and some short notes: it is nearly as rare as the original edition, but it is more correct; yet not so much so as Aldus would have it appear to be, for in his prefatory address to Tafredo Carolo;' he assures him that great pains have been taken with it, and that it is infinitely superior to that edition. In 1519, Aldus published a third edition, which is formed on the basis, or is rather a reimpression of that of 1501 it is the most correct of all; it was followed by a fourth, in 1527. There are copies on vellum of all these editions. Consult De Bure, No. 2718; Dibdin's Introd. v. i, p.

403-4; Brunet, t. ii. p. 136-7; Mitscherlich, p. xliv-lxxxviii; and Renouard, Annales, t. i. p. 91-2, 149-50, and p. 184.

PARIS. 4to. 1503. Apud Petit.

This is the first edition which contains the Commentaries of Mancinellus and Ascensius. This work was originally published for the use of schools; it is now become extremely rare. See Maittaire, v. ii. p. 164, and v. iv. p. 504, as referred to by Panzer; Harles, Introd. Lit. Rom. v. ii. p. 376; and Dibdin's Introd. v. i. p. 405.

FLORENT. 8vo. 1503, 1514, et 1519. Apud Juntam.

These editions are all rare, but the first is the most so they are very favourably mentioned by Harles and Mitscherlich. Consult Mitscherlich's Preface, p. xliv; Harles, Brev. Not. Litt. Rom. p. 261; and Brunet, t. ii. p. 137.

8vo. 1511. Absque loci et typogr. ind.

Bibliographers are divided in their opinions respecting this edition; Mr. Dibdin calls it an "excellent and very scarce" one; Brunet styles it "très-incorrecte." Mitscherlich observes, that it was edited by a man of superior abilities. Ernesti says, "Habemus etiam (hanc) editionem, quam non vi"dimus ab aliis memoratam, sine loci nota, literis currentibus. "Literæ sunt similes Lugdunensibus in ed. Plauti Carpenteri"ani et Quintiliani Lugduni factis, itemque habet idem insigne "in capite. Præfixa est præfatio Aldi ex ed. Aldina. In ea "editione Carm. 1, 25, extr. editum est dedicet Euro: quod omnes latuit: unde raritas hujus editionis apparet." Fabr.

66

66

66

B. Lat. v. i. p. 408. "Cette édition, donnée par Simon Charpentier, est une copie fort inexacte de l'Aldine de 1509. Elle en reproduit le titre entier, la préface d'Alde, avec la même "date de 1509; et elle a juste le même nombre de pages, chif"frées de même. Sur le titre est la fleur de lis rouge qui dé"signe les éditions Lyonnoises imprimées de 1510 à 1515. "Mitscherlich fait mal à propos à cette édition les honneurs "d'une leçon qui, si elle n'est pas la véritable est au moins fort " ingénieuse : Dedicet Euro, pour Hebro, Od. 25, 1. 1. Cette leçon, qui a beaucoup occupé les commentateurs, dont plu"sieurs l'ont mise en avant comme leur propre conjecture, parut pour la première fois dans l'Aldine de 1509, au moins "ne l'ai-je pu trouver dans aucune autre édition antérieure; et "les Alde ne l'ont probablement point jugée bonne, car on ne "la revoit dans aucune de leurs éditions subséquentes. M. "Vandenbourg, à qui je dois l'indication de cette petite parti"cularité littéraire, et qui va publier une traduction en vers "des Odes d'Horace, accompagnée d'un texte revu sur toutes "les meilleurs éditions, et sur une quantité considérable de

"manuscrits, nous dira sans doute si cette rare édition contient "quelques autres leçons qui lui appartiennent, et fassent excu"ser les fautes typographiques dont elle est remplie." Renouard, Annales, t. iii. p. 87-8. It was reprinted at Lyons, in 1518, with some additions from the Florence edition of 1514. LIPS. 4to. 1512. (Epistolae.) Lotteri.

Leichius takes occasion to observe respecting this edition; -Pulcherrimarum editionum, quas aemula aetatis nostrae "industria ad magnam perfectionem produxit. (Mich. Lotterus, "editor et typographus,) primitiae fuerunt." Orig. et Increm. Typogr. Lips. p. 28.

PARIS. fol. 1519. Apud Ascensium.

This edition, which Freytag calls "Omnium optima inter Ascensianas," is a very excellent and valuable one; besides the Commentary of Ascensius, it contains those of Acro, Porphyrio, Mancinellus, Bonfinis, and the Scholia of Manutius. See Adpar. Litt. v. ii. p. 1353; and Dibdin's Introd. v. i. p. 406.

PARIS. 8vo. 1528, 31, 33, 43, et 1549. Apud Colinæum.

The text of these editions is taken from that of Aldus: they are printed in the italic letter: the first of these impressions, which Harwood calls " very correct," is supposed by Maittaire to have been the first work in which this printer made use of this type. See Maittaire's Vit. Typogr. Parisiens. p. 5; Dibdin's Introd. v. i. p. 406; and Brunet, t. ii. p. 137. BASIL. fol. 1545, 55, 70, et 1580. Fabricii. 2 vols. £2. 2s. to £2. 10s.

The first and second editions are rare, but inferior in value to the two latter ones, both as far as regards the accuracy of the text, and the quantity of the notes; the second, as Mitscherlich observes, "inter præstantissimas, sed et rarissimas "numeranda est." These are the words of Harles; "Præ"clara et fere princeps est editio, præcipue si veteres spectes "scholiastas: Hor. Opp. grammaticorum antiquissimorum, "Helenii Acronis et Porphyrionis, commentariis illustrata."edita auctius et emendatius, quam unquam antea per Geor. "Fabricium. ii tom. 1555. fol. Alteri tomo insunt multi com"mentatores recentiores-rec. 1570, 1580. apud Henricum "Petrum: sunt autem Commentarii XL. grammaticorum." Brev. Not. Lit. Rom. p. 262. "This is the greatest treasure of learn"ing bestowed on Horace; my learned and worthy friend, "Dr. Parr, one of the best classical scholars in this kingdom, "many years ago informed me of the distinguished merit of "this edition. It contains the observations and remarks on

"Horace, which were made by the great scholars of that il"lustrious age, the glorious age of the revival of literature, as "well as the criticisms of all the old commentators on Ho"race." Such is the eulogy of Dr. Harwood on the last (1580.) edition. The last is not only a very copious, but also a very correct and valuable edition.

LUGD. 4to. 1561. Lambini. 2 vols.

This is the first edition, containing the valuable Commentaries of Lambinus, who is justly honoured with the title of 'Horatii Sospitator:' it was succeeded by one printed at Venice, in 1566, which is the very scarcest of all Lambinus's editions; another at Paris, in 1567, which contains a more copious and valuable Commentary than either of the preceding, in which he has also frequently corrected the text; this is the last edition which this celebrated scholar superintended: which was followed by several other editions; viz. in 1568, 1569, 1587 and 1605, which last is considered to be superior to all those that preceded it. See Harles, Brev. Not. Lit. Rom. p. 262-3; Dibdin's Introd. v. i. p. 408-9; and Brunet, t. ii. p. 137.

ANTVERP. 8vo. 1566. Pulmanni. 6s.

Harles speaks very favourably of this edition, which was formed chiefly on the basis of that of Lambinus: it was followed by one in 1575, which was edited by Treter, and is now scarce the former edition was preceded by two others, which were printed by Nutius, the one in 1557, and the other in 1564. See Harles, Brev. Not. Lit. Rom. p. 263; Dibdin's Introd. v. i. p. 408-9; and Brunet, t. ii. P. 137.

PARIS. 8vo. 1577, 1588, et 1592. H. Stephani. 10s. to 15s.

Harles, speaking of the first edition, observes; "Præclara "et fructuosa est ed. Horat. cum novis scholiis, diatribe et ob"servatt. H. Stephani." Brev. Not. Lit. Rom. p. 264. Maittaire and Mitscherlich also speak very favourably of these editions, which are very good and useful ones, and are now rarely met with. See Vit. Steph. p. 339; and Dibdin's Introd. v. i. p. 409.

ANTV. 4to. 1578, 1587, et 1611; et Lug. Bat. 1593 et 1603. Cruquii.

66

Cruquius is deservedly esteemed one of the best com"mentators on Horace. Consult the notes in any of the dif"ficult passages in Horace, and you will have your doubts satisfactorily solved." Harwood. This editor has perhaps done more towards the elucidation of the text of this poet than all the preceding commentators put together; and he has not,

66

in illustrating his author, neglected the text, which is accurate, and for which he collated no less than eleven manuscripts. The last edition is, however, the best. See Harles, Brevior. Not. Lit. Rom. p. 264; Ernesti, Fabr. B. Lat. v. i. p. 398; Freytag, Adpar. Litt. v. iii. p. 628-33; Dibdin's Introd. v. i. p. 409-10; and Brunet, t. ii. p. 137-8.

ANTVERP. 4to. 1608. Torrentii.

12s.

66

A very beautiful and critical edition, which is highly extolled by Mitscherlich and the Bipont editors; it is illustrated with the notes of the editor, which, says Dr. Harwood, are accurate and judicious," but which extend no farther than the second epistle of the second book. The editor has inserted Nannius's Commentary on the Art of Poetry. The following is the favourable opinion expressed by Harles (Brev. Not. Lit. Rom. p. 264.) respecting this edition; "Optimis et criticis edd. ad"numeranda est:" it was reprinted in 1620. See Ernesti, Fabr. B. Lat. v. i. p. 410; Kett's Elements, vol. ii. p. 531; Mitscherlich, præf. p. xlviii.; Dibdin's Introd. v. i. P. 410; and Brunet, t. ii. p. 138.

LUG. BAT. 12mo. 1612, 1629, et 1653. Dan. Heinsii. Apud Elzevirium.

These editions are very beautifully and accurately printed; (they were preceded by two others, in 1609 and 1610, ex officina Plantin.) but that of 1629 (3 vols. £1. 1s.) is the scarcest and the most valued by the curious; respecting which Harles (in Introd. in Not. Lit. Rom. t. ii. p. 384,) observes: " quæ editio quidem convenit cum superiore (1612,) at rarius oc"currit ; utraque autem habetur classica." De Bure has given the most accurate account of this edition, which, for the advantage of my reader, I shall here insert. "Edition fort

jolie, & plus recherchée des curieux quand les trois parties "sont rassemblées. La première partie ne contient que le "texte d'Horace avec deux titres, l'un gravé, l'autre im

66

primé. La seconde, contient les remarques d'Heinsius, avec "un titre imprimé ; & la troisième renferme les deux livres, "de Satyra Horatianâ, avec un faux titre à la tête. Il manque assez souvent dans les exemplaires de ce livre, quelques-uns des titres que nous avons indiqués; il faut y "prendre garde." Bibl. Instructive, No. 2721. Crenius, in his Animadverss. Philolog. pt. ii. p. 2. observes ;-" Illius "vero Heinsii notæ in Horatium impressæ sunt in officina "Plantiniana Raphelengii CIɔɔcx. in 8vo. & Lugd. Batavor. "ɔɔx. quæ optima editio. Habeo illud exemplum, "quod propria manu Clarissimo & Consultissimo viro D. Jo"hanni Borelio observantiæ ergo d. d. Autor Heinsius.' "