Praelectiones Ioannis Calvini in librum prophetiarum Danielis, Ioannis Budaei & Caroli Ionvillaei labore & industria exceptae. Additus est è regione versionis Latinae Hebraicus & Chaldaicus textus. by Calvin, Jean - 1571

[Lugduni]: Apud Bartholomaeum Vincentium, 1571. Folio (31.4 cm, 12.35"). [8], 171, [10] ff. (lacking one internal blank).

Early edition of Calvin's lectures on Daniel, edited by Charles de Jonvilliers and Jean Budé and first published in 1561. Leaders like Luther, Calvin, and Melanchthon played a role essential to the Reformation in both legend and reality in interpreting the Bible for its readers; yet while (like the others) he championed the reading of the Scriptures in the vernacular, Calvin chose to present his notes on and explanations of various books of the Bible in the language of scholars — Latin. In other words, effectively, he still expected the mass of believers to => rely on the intermediation of the clergy to assist them; but his works were => placed on the Index nonetheless, including this book, one of his many exegeses of the Old Testament.
    The Latin text here is printed in roman and italic with intermittent Hebrew, with decorative woodcut initials throughout. The title-page features the => large printer's device of Bartholomew Vincent. Curiously, most library records for this edition give Geneva as the place of printing, which is wrong. No place is given in the book itself; Vincentius, however, never printed anywhere except in Lyons. Thus, this is the first printing of the Latin text outside of Geneva, for the 1561, 1562, and 1569 edition all appeared there (the 1570 edition was an English-language translation from a London press).
    Provenance: Front pastedown with armorial bookplate of lawyer and historian Guido Kisch (1889–1985, son of Rabbi Alexander Kisch and brother of medical historian Dr. Bruno Kisch), with inked inscription beneath: "Letztes Geburtstagsgeschenk des M. Bruno, '75.
    
    Adams C302; Index Aurel. 130.118. Contemporary vellum, spine with early hand-inked title replacing now-absent title-label; worn, especially at extremities, and cocked with vellum split over front joint (sewing holding) and front cover with insect holes. Endpapers slightly ragged; one internal blank leaf lacking. Some corners bumped; pages age-toned with occasional spotting and staining. => A used but very usable copy, with interesting provenance.