ANALECTA VETERUM POETARUM GRAECORUM Tom. I [II, III] + IV INDICES IN EPIGRAMMATA

Strasburg (Argentorati): Jo. Gothofr. Bauer et Socium + Leipzig Dyck for vol.4, 1772, 1773, 1776], 1795. Hardcover. Very Good. Vignettes to 3 titlepages with different charming scenes of cupids by Weis, 3 folding pages of prettily formatted Greek verse.. Four Volumes octavo half green roan spines gilt ruled marbled paper sides (edges bit rubbed marbled paper darkened where leather underlaid) All edges speckled green. Neat presentation dated 1784 from Cyril Jackson Dean of Christ Church Oxford to Edward Ash. Titlepage engraved including vignette +xxxiv +506pp including imprint of printer Joannis Henrici Heitz dated 1772; vol 2 engr. title and different vignette +529pp + [1]p same imprint of Heitz dated 1773; vol 3 engraved title with another vignette & imprimatur of Bauer & Treuttel +319pp +[1]p Heitz with date 1776; vol 4 INDICES IN EPIGRAMMATA quae in Analetis Veterum Poetarum a Brunckio editis reperiuntur, Auctore Friderico Jacobes Lipsiae in bibliopolio Dyckio 1795 vi +443pp. A neat set with minor pale foxing but paper in strong clean supple condition. All poems in Greek, Epigramata index in Latin. This is the first work Brunck edited. His innovations on the established mode of criticism startled European scholars. As an editor, he made no commentaries, but occupied himself only with the text. Persuaded that all faults in the language of the Greek poets came from the carelessness of copyists, wherever it seemed to him that an obscure or difficult passage might be made intelligible and easy by a change of text, he did not scruple to make the necessary alterations, whether the new reading were supported by manuscript authority or not (Wikipedia).