VERY SCARCE FIRST AND ONLY ALDINE EDITION OF VALLA FUNDAMENTAL WORK ON LATIN LANGUAGE

VALLA, LORENZO. Laurentij Vallae Elegantiarum libri sex. Eiusdem de reciprocatione sui, et suus libellus plurimum utilis: omnia nuper summa diligentia, curaque emendata, et typis excusa, additis praeter rerum scitu dignarum copiosissimum indicem cuiusque etiam libri capitibus, id quod in alijs non item reperias. Venetiis: in aedibus haeredum Aldi et Andreae Asulani soceri, MDXXXVI. [Venice: Heirs of Aldo Manuzio and Andrea Torresani, 1536].

4to, 18th century full calf binding (the hinge of the first board restored), ff. [8], 199, [1].

Very scarce first and only Aldine edition of Valla’s Elegantiae, the main text on the most elegant expressions of Latin language.

This work subjected the forms of Latin grammar and the rules of Latin style and rhetoric to a critical examination, and placed the practice of composition upon a foundation of analysis and inductive reasoning. It was a basis for the movement of the Humanists to reform Latin prose style to a more classical and Ciceronian direction on a scientific basis. Valla’s work was controversial when it appeared, but its arguments carried the day. As a result, humanistic Latin sought to purge itself of post-Classical words and features, and became stylistically very different from the Christian Latin of the European Middle Ages. This was thought to be a major improvement in style and elegance in Latin usage.

Provenance: Some unidentified annotations at the margins.References: No copies on the market. Renouard, 115.3. CNCE 27247.

A very good copy.