AULUS GELLIUS. 1469.  Folio.  Edit.  Prin.  This is without doubt one of the very finest VELLUM copies of an old and valuable Classic in existence.  There are sometimes (as is always the case in the books from the earlier Roman press) brown and yellow pages; but, upon the whole, this is a wonderful and inestimable book.  It is certainly unique, as being printed upon vellum.  Note well:  the Jerom, Apuleius, and Aulus Gellius—­with one or two others, presently to be described—­were Cardinal Bessarion’s OWN COPIES; and were taken from the library of St. Mark at Venice, by the Austrians, in their memorable campaign in Italy.  I own that there are hardly any volumes in the Imperial Library at Vienna which interested me so much as these VELLUM SWEYNHEYMS and PANNARTZ!

AUSONIUS. 1472.  Folio.  Editio Princeps.  The extreme rarity of this book is well known.  The present copy is severely cropt at top and bottom, but has a good side marginal breadth.  It has also been washed; but you are only conscious of it by the scent of soap.

CAESAR. 1469. Printed by S. and Pannartz. Folio.  Edit.  Princeps.  A beautiful and unique copy—­UPON VELLUM.  This was formerly Prince Eugene’s copy; and I suspect it to be the same which is described in the Bibl.  Hulziana, vol. i. no. 3072—­as it should seem to be quite settled that the printers, Sweynheym and Pannartz, printed only one copy of their respective first editions upon vellum.  It is however but too manifest that this precious volume has been cropt in binding—­which is in red morocco.

——­ 1472. Printed by the same. Folio.  This also was Prince Eugene’s copy; and is much larger and finer than the preceding—­on the score of condition.

CICERO DE OFFICIIS. 1465, Quarto.  Here are two copies:  each UPON VELLUM.  One, in blue morocco, is short and small; but in very pretty condition.  The other is stained and written upon.  It should be cast out.

——­ 1466.  Quarto.  UPON VELLUM.  A beautiful copy, which measures very nearly ten inches in height.[122] In all these copies, the title of the “Paradoxes” is printed.

CICERONIS.  EPIST. FAM. 1467.  Folio.  Editio Princeps.  Cardinal Bessarion’s own copy, and unquestionably THE FINEST THAT EXISTS.  The leaves are white and thick, and crackle aloud as you turn them over.  It is upon paper, which makes me think that there never was a copy upon vellum; for the Cardinal, who was a great patron of Sweynheym and Pannartz, the printers, would doubtless have possessed it in that condition.  At the beginning, however, it is slightly stained, and at the end slightly wormed.  Yet is this copy, in its primitive binding, finer than any which can well be imagined.  The curious are aware that this is supposed to have been the first book printed at Rome; and that the blanks, left for the introduction of Greek characters, prove that the printers were not in possession of the latter when this book was published.  The Cardinal has written two lines, partly in Greek and partly in Latin, on the fly leaf.  This copy measures eleven inches three eighths by seven inches seven eighths.