pp. (2), 352. Cancellans at A2 & H3. 4to. [295 x 230 mm.] Printed on Baskerville's fine, smooth Writing Royal paper. Worn full contemporary mottled calf. All edges decorated red. Caius Valerius Catullus (Ca. 84-54 B.C.), Roman poet, born in Verona, of a well-to-do family. He went to Rome (62 B.C.) where he fell deeply in love, probably with Clodia, sister of Cicero's opponent Publ us Clodius. She was suspected of murdering her husband. Catullus wrote to his beloved, addressed as Lesbia (to recall Sappho of Lesbos), a series of superb little poems that run from early passion and tenderness to the hatred and disillusionment that overwhelmed him after his mistress was faithless. His works include, besides the Lesbia poems, poems to his young friend Juventius; epigrams, ranging from the genial to the obscenely derisive; elegies; a few long poems, notably "Attis" and a nuptial poem honoring Thetis and Peleus; and various short pieces. His satire is vigorous and flexible, his light poems joyful and full-bodied. He was influenced by the Alexandrians and drew much on the Greeks for form and meter, but his genius outran all models. Catullus is one of the greatest lyric poet s of all time. John Baskerville (1706-1775) was the greatest printer of his era. Born in Wolverley, Hereford - Worcester, England, he became a writing master in Birmingham. He also carried on a successful japanning (varnishing) business there. In about 1750 he began to make experiments in letter founding, and produced the wonderful series of types now named after him. His first book, the Virgil of 1757, was also the first to be printed upon wove paper (manufactured by a process that he invented). In 1758 he be came printer to Cambridge University. All of his books bear show fine craftsmanship and a refined sense of design. In the last few years before his death, Baskerville published a few Latin classics in quarto and duodecimo. "All these bear the marks of unabated genius even in his declining days: and suffice, had he printed nothing else, to distinguish him as the first typographer of his time" - T. B. Reed, in 'Old English Letter Foundries'. **PRICE JUST REDUCED! Gaskell 44. W113
