Two editions of the Naturalis Historia preceded this, the first printed by John of Speier in 1469, with a five years’ privilege from the Venetian senate, which expired at his death in 1470, the second by Sweynheym and Pannartz, Rome, 1470.  With the first of these, Jenson’s edition agrees in the number of pages and of lines to the page.  From the second he reprinted the letter addressed by the editor Johannes Andreas, Bishop of Aleria, to his patron Pope Paul II., and the earnest appeal for care on the part of any who should reprint his Pliny, “ne ad priora menda et tenebras inextricabiles tanti sudoris opus relabatur.”  Fifteen more editions were printed before the close of the 15th century.  Jenson’s Pliny is generally regarded as the finest production of his press.  The type is his first font.

The Wodhull copy, bought of Thomas Payne, book-seller, in 1791 for L12.12s., and bound by Roger Payne in russia gilt, with Wodhull arms on side, at the additional cost of L1.  Leaf 15-1/4 x 10-1/4 in.

12.  NONIUS MARCELLUS.  De compendiosa doctrina.  Venetiis, Nicolaus
    Jenson, 1476.

Fol. 1, blank. Fol. 2-20, alphabetical index. Fol. 21, blank. Fol. 22^a:  NONII MARCELLI PERIPATETICI TIBVRTICENSIS COMPENDIOSA DOCTRINA AD FILIVM DE PROPRIETATE SERMONVM. Fol. 194^a, COLOPHON:  NONII MARCELLI PERIPATETICI TIBVRTICENSIS COMPENDIOSA DOCTRINA AD FILIVM DE PROPRIETATE SERMONVM IMPRESSA VENETIIS INDVSTRIA ATQVE IMPENDIO NICOLAI IENSON GALLICI. .M.CCCC.LXXVI. Fol. 194^b, blank.

Folio.  Sign. a-c^{10}, d-y^8, z^{12}, 194 leaves, 1 and 21 blank, 34 lines to the page, roman letter, without catchwords or pagination.  Seven- and eight-line spaces left for capitals, some with guide-letters.  The type is Jenson’s first roman trimmed or recast the second time on a slightly smaller body.  Greek words as a rule printed with Greek type, not transliterated.  Hain 11901.  Proctor 4098.

On the first page of text a large initial S in gold on a panel of color, with marginal decoration.  Other large chapter initials in red and blue alternately.  Numerous paragraph-marks in alternate red and blue.  Blank first leaf wanting.

The index, which occupies the first nineteen leaves, is alphabetized as far as the second letter of the word.  The references are by roman numerals to the leaves (not pages) of the work, which themselves have only manuscript foliation in arabic figures.

The first edition of Nonius was printed at Rome in 1470 by Lauer; the second, in 1471, was without place or name.  Jenson’s edition, which is the third, borrowed from both of these but added also something of value.  The correct title, De compendiosa doctrina, first appears here.  The usual title, De proprietate sermonum, belongs strictly to the first chapter.  As in all the early editions, the third chapter is lacking, having been discovered later and first included in the 1513 edition of Aldus.  Jenson’s Greek type long remained in favor for incidental use in Latin books after it had been displaced in Greek books by Aldine types.