Peter Bichsel   Fine Books

Seldenus, Ionnes (i. e. Selden, John). De dis Syris syntagma II. (…) Editio altera; emendatior et tertia parte auctior.

Title in red and black. With printer’s device in woodcut on title page. 20 unn. leaves, 373, (1) pp. 12mo. Contemp. vellum with ms. spine title. – Lugdunum Batavorum (Leiden), Bonaventura and Abraham Elsevir, 1629.

First Elzevir-edition of John Selden’s (1584–1654) famous work on comparative religion „de dis Syris“, initially published in London in 1617. This edition was corrected and enlarged by Dutch scholar Daniel Heinsius (1580–1655). Seldon outlines the transition of near eastern deities throught the Roman and Greek cultures to Christianity. In addition, it is one of the earliest examples of the Indo-European language and culture theory. – Willems 322. – Spine and edges browned. Quires K and L misbound. Modern ownership entry on first flyleaf. Clean and beautiful copy in all. – Best.-Nr. 27467