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Pocket edition of Postel's most succesful work

POSTEL, Guillaume.
De republica, seu magistratibus Atheniensium liber. Ex. museo Joan Balesdens.

Title printed in red & black with printer's device, full-page engraved portrait of Postel as a geographer in text.

Title printed in red & black with printer's device, full-page engraved portrait of Postel as a geographer in text.

Title printed in red & black with printer's device, full-page engraved portrait of Postel as a geographer in text.



Leyden, ex. off. Joannis Maire, 1635. 24mo. Contemporary overlapping vellum, with title in ink in ms. on spine. Title printed in red & black with printer's device, full-page engraved portrait of Postel as a geographer in text. 232, (6) pp. (= A8 (= incl. engr. portrait)- O8, P7).

First Dutch edition of the famous treatise on the political constitution of ancient Athens by the French Renaissance philologist and visionary Guillaume Postel (1510-1581), re-edited  in pocket format by the French bibliophile and manuscript collector Jean Balesdens. Between 1629 and 1636 Balesdens published several works based on manuscripts and rare books from his own library. In 1635  the present work was also issued at the same publisher together with two other works by Postel 'De Cosmographica disciplina...'' and 'De universitate libri duo' with the same editor. In 1645  a second edition was published also at Le Maire. The first edition of this work was published at Paris, at Vascosan in 1541 titled: 'De magistratibus Atheniensium liber''. It went through nine editions up to 1700 proving that it served as an influential schoolbook ans was widely read.
Postel was the author of over 50 works, many of which were indexed. For example he had published three works on linguistics - a work which describes the alphabets and grammars of twelve languages, mostly of the Near East, for which Postel has been hailed as the father of comparative philology and one on the Jewish origins of language and civilisation - and geography - a handbook for pilgrims to the Holy Land. His services as an orientalist and philologist to learning and the French crown were soon rewarded. After a diplomatic journey to Greece and Constantinople he was appointed to the lectureship in the Collège de France and from 1538 until 1542 he lectured for the king on mathematics and philology.

Fine copy.- (Library stamp on title and ms. ownership's entry 'Colleg. paris. soc. jesu').
Caillet 8908; Brunet IV, 839 (first ed.); Hoefer XL, 879; Breugelmans, Fac & Spera. Joannes Maire, 1635.3; Quaritch, Cat. 1343, Guillaume Postel, 27; W.J. Bouwsma, The career and thought of G. Postel, 5 (first ed.)

Related Subjects: Classical Antiquity  Greek & Latin  Philology  Politics 

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