Account of Books

VI. Account of BOOKS. IX. These are the Titles of some late Books of Dr. Lister, not accounted for in the Transactions, and of which mention is made in one of the Letters. Martini Lister Exercitatio Anatomica, in qua de Cochleis maxime Terrestribus, & Limacibus, Agitur; Omnium Dissectiones tabulis æneis, ad ipsas res affabre insitis illustrantur, in Octavo Londini, 1694. —Ejusdem Exercitatio Anatomica Altera, in qua maxime agitur de Buccinis Fluvialibus & Marinis, ubi Aristotelis aliquot loca, ab Interpretum Injuria, ac errore Vindicantur, Nova quædam e rebus Naturæ in lucem proferuntur qualia sunt, non Superfetatio tantum sed & perpetua quædam foetatio velut de quibusdam fructiferis arboribus narratum est: Singularis ac divisus sexus in aliis atque aliis Cochleis: Purpuræ vera sedes ac usus: Buccina infectoria, que fuerint Veterum, nostra Littoralia ipsissima esse, praetera Conjectura Nova de usu Cerebri exhibetur itemque Vitalitatis ratio in sanguineis frigidis, ac exanguibus, ex Veterum doctrina de aere atmosphærico explicatur Cum figuris in Octavo, Londini 1695. —Ejusdem Conchyliorum Bivalvium utriusque Aquæ Exercitatio anatomica tertia, cum figuris in 4° Lon.1696. —Ejusdem Octo Exercitationes Medicinales; Quarum I. De Hydropoe. II. De Diabete. III. De Hydrophobia. IV. De Lue Venera. V. De Scorbuto. VI. De Arthritide. VII. De Calculo Humano. VIII. De Variolis, in Duodecimo Lon.1696. These Four Printed for, and Sold by Sam. Smith and Benj. Walford, at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard. X. Julius X. Julius Celsus de vita & Rebus Gestis Julii Caesaris ex Musæo Joan. Georgii Grevii Iterata Editio cum Indice Rerum Uberrimo. Londini Prostant apud S. Smith & B.Walford, 1697. Pr. 2 s. 6 d. These Commentaries being very rare, and not to be found in any publick or private Libraries of France and other Countries, have given occasion to many learned Criticks to Publish their different Sentiments upon them. The great Isaac Casaubon did not know them; quoting some Fragments of this Julius Celsus, as select obscure Manuscript-pieces, sent him by Bongar-ius, tho' the Author had been frequently mentioned above 300 Years before, by Vincentius, Walter Burleigh, Eybbius, Johannes Magnus, and Printed in a Black Letter with Abbreviations, in the Year 1473. Gerard Vossius was the first who cleared this point, and said, that many things in Caesar's Commentaries might be Illustrated by this History of Celsus, whose Name occurred very frequently in the Fronts and Ends of the Ancient Manuscripts of Caesar's Works; it being the Custom of those times to affix the Testimony and Approbation of Criticks, and other Learned Men, to most of the old Manuscripts, in order to shew they were Authentick, being read and examined by such and such Scholars of known Integrity and Abilities; this gave occasion to the more barbarous Ages to think those Names to be the true Authors, and to cite them as such; so Julius Celsus is much honoured by the many Quotations made in this manner, and is taken by some Modern Criticks for Caesar himself. Let the thing be as it will, 'tis certain, the Commentaries here Published, have been much sought after (tho' in in vain) by some of the greatest Men in matters of Literature, as Gesner, Nicholas Heinsius, Monsieur Bigot, Monsieur Godin, Dr. Francis Bernard, and others; so that a single Copy of them has been sold for an 100 l. sterling: Yet we must ingeniously confess, that we are ignorant of the time in which the Author of these Commentaries flourished; tho' tis probable he is much more ancient than 4 or 500 Years (in which the Excellent Mr. Grevius thinks fit to place him) from the manner of his Style, which seems to be above the common Vein of the Cloyster, or the Genius of that Age. Some passages there are in him, which might be added by Readers or Copists, who frequently used to interpolate and corrupt the purest and the best Authors; but such are easily discernible to a Critical Eye, which knows how to distinguish the several Pencils that have touched the same piece. The First Edition of this Book was in 1473, but by what fate I know not, it soon vanished, and became unknown, and even lost to the most industrious searches, till Vossius in his Instit Orator. and De Histor. Lat. was pleased to illustrate the History of it, and to set it in its true light; which gave a fresh edge to several great Men, to shew the passion they had of seeing it, but to no purpose, till the diffusive Generosity of M. Grevius brought it forth in a better form, to which in this Lond.Edit. there are added an Index, and the Testimonies of Famous Men concerning Julius Celsus and these Commentaries. ERRATA. No 217. Page 111. Line 14. for it is ——, read it is the half of. No 221. Page 296. Line 17. for lascivie read lasciviae. LONDON: Printed for S. Smith and B. Walford, Printers to the Royal Society, at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Churchyard. 1696.