Lexique

Appendix ad Lexicon Graeco-Latinum, a Joanne Scapula constructum, et ad alia Lexica Graeca, e Codice Manuscripto, olim Askeviano, in lucem nunc primum vindicata.

17898vo., First [?and Sole] Edition, on laid paper, some very mild age-staining; late eighteenth century full calf, neatly rebacked in calf to style, original leather label gilt preserved, red edges, a remarkably fresh, crisp copy. With the engraved armorial bookplate of a town museum and the donor's original signed presentation slip on front paste-down. Scapula's 'Lexicon' was first published by Henri Stephanus in 1557. This Appendix is dedicated to Anthony Askew (1722-1774), founder of the Bibliotheca Askeviana, and an eminent Classical scholar educated at Emmanuel College Cambridge and at Leiden. He became MD in 1750 and was appointed physician to St. Bartholomew's and Christ's hospitals, and registrar of the College of Physicians. Himself the author of a manuscript volume of Greek inscriptions, his outstanding library was sold by Baker & Leigh in 1775. See Quaritch (DEBC, p. 323). 'Askew's house was crowded with books up to the garrets. The collection was chiefly Classical, and it was its possessor's aim to have every edition of a Greek author' ([Sale catalogue of the] Bibliotheca Askeviana. Sive Catalogus Librorum Rarissimorum, Baker & Leigh, 1775). The sale of his library lasted twenty days and realised a total of £3,993 0s 6d; the principal purchasers were Dr. Hunter, Mr. Cracherode, the British Museum, and the kings of England and of France. Askew's manuscripts (presumably including those pertinent to the present work) were catalogued separately; their sale took place in 1785. The sale catalogue indicates that an appendix to Scapula's Lexicon was edited by Dr. Chas Burney in 1789 so it is likely that the present work is the title referred to. Charles Burney (1757-1817), classical scholar, was the son of Charles Burney the musician and musicologist. Since Burney the younger published numerous tracts and papers relating to Greek literature he could well be the author, but we have been unable to verify this attribution from any other source. Extremely scarce.

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