[LEMNIUS, Levinus] [tr. Thomas Newton]
An herbal for the Bible.
£2,500
London: Edmund Bollifant. 1587.
First edition in English. 8vo. 151x97mm. pp. [6], 287, [9 index]. Lacking initial blank. Late nineteenth-century half calf, marbled paper covered boards. Some rubbing and scuffing to spine and boards. Corner rubbed. Tear to foot of leaf N1 affecting a few letters, marginal tear to foot of E1 not affecting text, inkspot on N7 and 8 but not affecting legibility. Some cropping has just touched a few of the running titles. Attractive decorated woodcut initials. A little browned and spoiled in places but otherwise a very good copy of an important and popular work on Biblical plants. From the Library of Hugh Selbourne (small library stamp on verso of title page). Title page has ownership inscription of Henry Holden and on the later fly-leaf there is the inscription of "John Ward, Moston" and some bibliographical notes about Thomas Newton.
Levinus Lemnius was a Dutch writer, physician and philosopher and is considered the first author to describe the plants mentioned in the Bible. Thomas Newton (c1542-1607) was a clergyman, poet, historian and translator. The last twenty five years of his life were spent as rector of Little Ilford in Essex.He refers to his "poore little house at Little Ilford" in his dedication of this Herbal to Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Newton was a learned translator and fine writer and was not afraid "where the original lacked clarity or when it was not sufficiently succinct...[to make] various additions or omissions".
First edition in English. 8vo. 151x97mm. pp. [6], 287, [9 index]. Lacking initial blank. Late nineteenth-century half calf, marbled paper covered boards. Some rubbing and scuffing to spine and boards. Corner rubbed. Tear to foot of leaf N1 affecting a few letters, marginal tear to foot of E1 not affecting text, inkspot on N7 and 8 but not affecting legibility. Some cropping has just touched a few of the running titles. Attractive decorated woodcut initials. A little browned and spoiled in places but otherwise a very good copy of an important and popular work on Biblical plants. From the Library of Hugh Selbourne (small library stamp on verso of title page). Title page has ownership inscription of Henry Holden and on the later fly-leaf there is the inscription of "John Ward, Moston" and some bibliographical notes about Thomas Newton.
Levinus Lemnius was a Dutch writer, physician and philosopher and is considered the first author to describe the plants mentioned in the Bible. Thomas Newton (c1542-1607) was a clergyman, poet, historian and translator. The last twenty five years of his life were spent as rector of Little Ilford in Essex.He refers to his "poore little house at Little Ilford" in his dedication of this Herbal to Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Newton was a learned translator and fine writer and was not afraid "where the original lacked clarity or when it was not sufficiently succinct...[to make] various additions or omissions".
