AQUINAS, Thomas

EXCEEDINGLY RARE EDITION OF ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED CRITICAL EDITIONS OF AQUINAS’ THEOLOGICAL MASTERPIECE

AQUINAS, Saint Thomas. Summa Theologica in Quinque Tomos Distribuita, Cum Commentariis Thomae de Vio Cardinalis Cajetani, Et Elucidationibus Literalibus. P. Seraphini Capponi a’ Porrecta, Ordinis Praedicatorum…[Vol. I with initial inserted Papal letter with Vatican imprint, and treatise at end: Cui Annexus est Tractatus De Praescentia, & Praedestinatione Dei]

Padua, Ex Typographia Seminarii, 1698.

£1850

Royal Folio, 5 vols. Roman and Italic letter, head- and tailpieces, floriated initials in two sizes at least, double-column text to head of pages and commentary to foot, with lateral glosses and occasional printed maniculae. In sequence: first volume with beautiful large engraving of the Saint while his heart is getting infused with the Holy Spirit through the intersession of the four Latin Church Fathers suspended in the sky: Gregory, Ambrose, Augustine and Jerome. Imposing title pages in red and black and small tailpiece; dedication to Pope Innocent XII with half page left blank for the portrait of the pope; letter of the typographus; two quarto leaves insertion with papal letter by Benedict XIII to the monks of the preaching orders addressed against those who slandered the doctrine of Augustine and Aquinas, with the magnificent device of the Vatican press flanked by Saints Peter and Paul (Rome, Typis Reverendae Camerae Apostolicae, 1724); short text on the “altitude of Aquinas’ doctrine; instructions for the reader; index of the topics and articles discussed; treatise on the “foreknowledge and predestination of God”. Rebound with early vellum over thick boards. Boards of first volume covered by reusing the original vellum and with gilt-stamped titles to spine on two painted labels, the upper one gilt, the lower one azure framed by gilt Greek fretwork. Other four volumes with ink title to spines and a.e.r.. Autograph of owner: “Hugh Edmond Ford, Rome” (1851-1930; Abbot of Downside, Historian and theologian), and “Ex · Libris · Monasterii · Beatae · Mariae · Virginis · De · Worth” printed on label glued to front pastedown. A little rubbed and worn to cover corners and fore-edges, some minor chipping and light staining on boards and negligible tiny cracks to spine in correspondence to the sowings. In very good condition overall.