Pliny The Second (c.) - The History Of The World. Paris, Chez Abel l'Angelier, 1608; Folio.

PLINY THE SECOND (C.) - The history of the world by C. Pliny the second. Collated & corrected on several old Latin copies, both printed and handwritten, & enriched with annotation in the margin, serving at the conference & declaration of ancient & modern names of cities, regions, simple, & other places & obscure terms understood here. To what was adious a treatise on ancient weights and measures, reduced to the manner of the French; with two tables, one very full of the names contained in this History: the other serving for the aforesaid treatise on weights and measures. Paris, Chez Abel l'Angelier, 1608; folio, XXVI-516 + table (84 unnumbered pages) + XVI-569 pp. + table (70 unnumbered pages), full blond calfskin binding, spine with 6 raised bands, marbled edges, covers adorned with a pretty medallion, small gaps on the front cover and at the corners, but the copy looks good. Two volumes bound in one with the beautiful printer's mark of Abel l'Angelier on the two title pages. Edition put in French by Antoine du Pinet, lord of Noroy. In fact, it is the Natural History that Pliny the Elder left to posterity. We know Pliny's working method: he took notes while a slave read him texts. It is almost the first encyclopedia of natural history written, this work also deals with astronomy, botany, anthropology, psychology or metallurgy. This book came back into vogue in the 17th century following new editions and translations. We know that Buffon owned a copy, which earned him the nickname Pline de Montbard. Pliny was born in Como and died near Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted.