liest, one of which was Jenson's, were printed in 1471.

Although the tradition that Nicolas Jenson, master of the mint at Tours,
was sent by Charles VII. in 1458 to Mainz to learn the secrets of the
newly discovered art of printing is otherwise unsupported and, in view
of the manner in which the invention was afterwards carried to France as
well as to other countries by private initiative, improbable, he was
already a master of the art, wherever and however acquired, when he
established in 1470 the press which held the leading place at Venice
until his death in 1480.

The present exceptionally fine copy of the _Elegantiae_, bound in citron
morocco, with gold borders and gilt edges, is the Wodhull copy, bought
in 1786 of Payne for L10.10s.

11. PLINIUS SECUNDUS, C. Naturalis historia. Venetiis, Nicolaus Jenson,
1472.

_Fol. 1, blank._ _Fol. 2^a_: CAIVS PLYNIVS MARCO SVO SALVTEM. _Fol.
4^a_: CAII PLYNII SECVNDI NATVRALIS HISTORIAE LIBER .I. CAIVS PLYNIVS
SECVNDVS NOVOCOMENSIS DOMITIANO SVO SALVTEM. PRAEFATIO. _Fol. 21^a_:
CAII PLINII SECVNDI NATVRALIS HISTORIAE LIBER .II. _Fol. 355^a_,
COLOPHON: CAII PLYNII SECVNDI NATVRALIS HISTORIAE LIBRI TRICESIMI
SEPTIMI ET VLTIMI FINIS IMPRESSI VENETIIS PER NICOLAVM IENSON GALLICVM
.M.CCCC.LXXII. NICOLAO TRONO INCLYTO VENETIARVM DVCE. _Followed by_:
Iohannis andreae episcopi aleriensis ad pontificem summum Paulum secundum
uenetum epistola. _Fol. 356^a_: Hereneus lugdunensis episcopus: item
Iustinus ex philosopho martyr: item cum diuo Hieronymo Eusebius
caesariensis: serio posteritatem adiurarunt: ut eorum descripturi opera
conferrent diligenter exemplaria: et sollerti studio emendarent. Idem
ego tum in caeteris libris omnibus tum maxime i_n_ Plynio ut fiat;
uehementer obsecro: obtestor: atq_ue_ adiuro: ne ad priora menda: _et_
tenebras i_n_extricabiles tanti sudoris opus relabat_ur_. Instauratu_m_
aliqua_n_tulu_m_ sub romano po_n_tifice maximo Paulo secu_n_do ueneto.
_Fol. 356^b, blank._

Folio. Quires [1^{12}, 2^8, 3-8^{10}, 9^{12}, 10-15^{10}, 16^8,
17-27^{10}, 28^6, 29-30^{10}, 31-35^8, 36^{12}, 37^8], 356 leaves,
first blank, 50 lines to the page, roman letter, without
signatures, catchwords or pagination. Two- to twelve-line spaces
left for capitals, with guide-letters; also spaces for occasional
Greek words. Greek type sparingly used, oftener transliteration in
roman. Two pinholes. Hain *13089. Proctor 4087. Morgan Cat. II, p.