Lucretius, De rerum natura, Venice, Aldo, 1500, English early eighteenth-century red morocco, the Fletcher copy

Lucretius Carus, Titus. T. Lucretii cari, libri sex nuper emendati. Venice: Aldo Manuzio, December 1500

Frst Aldine edition, fourth edition overall (the first being Verona, 1486). Lucretius was the first Latin poet printed by Aldo. De rerum natura is a didactic poem on Epicurean atomism that challenged traditional religious ideas of divine intervention in human affairs. Aldo dedicated the work to his patron and former pupil Alberto Pio. In the preface Aldo pays heed to Avanzi’s editing of the text. They used the 1495 Venice edition as their textual source.

Bibliotheca Fletcheriana was certainly the most important library in Scotland at the time. Andrew Fletcher (1653-1716) was a fervent patriot and respected author and academic in his own right. An extension of Saltoun Hall in East Lothian was designed specifically to hold his library in 1779.

4to (196 x 130 mm). Roman type, 37 lines plus headline. collation: π⁶ a-m⁸ n⁶: 108 leaves. Ruled in red, woodcut initials. (Title-page a little toned.) 

binding: English (?) early eighteenth-century red morocco (220 x 139 mm), richly gilt, broad floral border flanked by thee gilt fillets, alternating floral ornaments along inner sides of frame, central shaped cartouche formed by double gilt fillets with volutes at angles and containing leafy tools surrounding cross formed by interlacing circles, spine gilt, "Dutch" gilt endpapers, gilt edges. (Very minor rubbing.)

provenance: Andrew Fletcher (1655-1716), of Saltoun, inscription on lower pastedown — Andrew Fletcher's "definitive catalogue" (National Library of Scotland, Saltoun Papers, Ms. 17863), p. 59 line 1 (see P.J.M. Willems, Bibliotheca Fletcheriana [Wassenaar: 1999], p. 135) — Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), bookplate to pastedown (portion of paper label on lower spine compartment possibly Phillipps) — William H. Robinson, London — Harry Richardson Creswick (1902-1988), bookplate, his purchase note "Robinson 1950" — Sotheby's London, 4 February 1980, lot 26. acquisition: Purchased at Sotheby's via Martin Breslauer Inc. references: UCLA 37; Aldo Manuzio tipografo 38; BMC V 562 (IA 24509); Goff L335; GW M19135; ISTC il00335000; Renouard 23/1; USTC 993474