This is a fine, extremely early example of Father Hidalgo's signature.

The woman who provided the money for the above mentioned masses was the wife of Antonio de Vivano (also spelled Bibano) Gutiérrez and mother of Antonio Guadalupe de Vivano, the first two Condes de Vivanco. Cambridge scholar David Brading credits Antonio de Vivanco with restoring the mining region of Bolaños to prosperity in the early 1770s, following the region's sharp decline in silver ore production during the first two-thirds of the 18th century — whereby he became very wealthy.

In addition to payment for masses for her soul, Doña Augustina's will provides for large sums of money to be spent on construction work on the chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the bishopric of Guadalajara. The paperwork, including receipts, associated with the distribution of her largesse is weighty and detailed.

Among the collateral documents in this offering are copies of the last wills and testaments of Antonio de Vivanco Gutiérrez (1796), Augustina Velázquez (1780), and Antonio Guadalupe de Vivanco (1800); the inventory of the younger Vivanco's massive estate (1801); and a marvelouscalligraphic manuscript in which the bishop of Guadalajara grants a special privilege to Vivanco the elder. All are notarially certified copies of the originals.

•  All documents in very good condition, sewn, in contemporary vellum bindings.

•  Both long folded, the bill apparently into an "envelope" (with direction to Mrs. Hofmaster); receipt with some tears and tatters not affecting text.

All these works saw previous editions, and Proba’s Virgiliani centones were apparently very popular in the 16th century; the three are first found together in a Frankfurt edition of 1541. This is thesole Estienne edition of all three, though the Homerokentra were reprinted in Estienne’s editions of the works of Homer in 1588 and 1604. It is printed in small roman and Greek typefaces with the Estienne printer’s device on the title-page and a few woodcut headpieces.

Provenance: Handsome bookplate of American Classical scholar Thomas Day Seymour (1848–1907), best known for his works on Homer.

•  Renouard (2nd ed.), Annales de l'imprimerie des Estienne, 147; Adams H810; Schreiber 205; Soltész, Catalogus librorum sedecimo saeculo . . . in Bibliotheca Nationali Hungariae . . . H468. On Eudocia, see: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed., IX, 881. On Nonnus of Panopolis, see: Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed., XIX, 737. Old calf with remnants of gilt barely visible, chipped and abraded especially on spine. Title-page lacking bottom edge, into imprint, rebacked with paper. Bookplate as above; two inked ownership inscriptions on title-page, second inked out. Light foxing and a few shallow dog ears.

This translation caused a bit of controversy: Tipped in at the front of vol. I is a printed rebuttal by Bohn of accusations made by the publisher of a rival translation by Mrs. Sabine, regarding the accuracy of Otté's work — which Bohn defends, of course.

•  NSTC 2H36378; Sparrow, Milestones of Science, 106 (first ed.).   Publisher's embossed red cloth, spine with gilt-stamped title and series identification; spines sunned with heads and feet pulled (in one instance chipped), corners bumped, cloth with spots of minor discoloration; vol. V with binding darkened overall and cloth starting at heads of joints. Married set: Vols. I–IV each with institutional bookplate on front pastedown; vol. V from another set, with a different bookplate. Vols. I–IV institutionally rubber-stamped on front free endpapers and title-pages. Many signatures unopened in vols. I–IV; sewing starting to loosen in vol. V.  (23913)

•  Publisher's green cloth, front cover and spine stamped in gilt and red; minor darkening and rubbing with binding overall very attractive. Front cover beautiful and bright. Pages and plates clean.  (22046)