Fac-Simile Of The Alexandrian Manuscript.Proposals For Publishing By Subscription Pentateuchus Graecus E Codice Ms. Alexandrino, Qui Londini In Bibliotheca Musei Britannici Asservatur, Typis Ad Similitudinem Ipsius Codicis Scripturae Fideliter Descriptus Cura Et Labore Henrici Herveii Baber, A.M. Musei Britannici Bibliothecarii. [Details of the publication and how would-be subscribers can obtain copies, as well as price, follow.]
British Museum, October, 1812. Printed by Richard Taylor and Co., Shoe-Lane, London.
Printed letterpress advertisement, broadside, 327 x 202mm. Tatty lower edge.
Subscribers are solicited for Henry Hervey Baber's edition of the Old Testament portion of the Codex Alexandrinus, ‘Vetus Testamentum Græcum e Codice MS. Alexandrino ¼ typis ad similitudinem ipsius codicis Scripturæ fideliter descriptum cura et labore H. H. Baber,’ in 3 vols. It was published eventually in 1816-21. Baber (1775 - 1869), philologist, entered the service of the British Museum in 1807, and in 1812 was promoted to the office of keeper of the printed books, in the general duties of which post, and in work upon the catalogue of books in the collection, he was actively engaged for twenty-five years. Besides his keepership, Baber also held the rectory of Stretham in Cambridgeshire, to which he was appointed in 1827. In the year 1837 he resigned his post at the British Museum, and retired to his rectory. His resignation was partly made in consequence of a recommendation of a parliamentary committee in 1836, that officials of the museum should not hold any other situation conferring emoluments or entailing duties. Pentateuch ('five rolls or cases') is the Greek name for the Torah, the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible: the name is derived from two Greek words: pente, meaning 'five', and teuxos which roughly means 'case', a reference to the cases containing the five scrolls of the Laws of Moses. In Christianity, these books are found in the Old Testament. The Codex Alexandrinus is a 5th century manuscript of the Greek Bible, containing the majority of the Septuagint and the New Testament. Along with the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus, it is one of the earliest and most complete manuscripts of the Bible. It derives its name from Alexandria where it resided for a number of years before given to the British in the 17th century. The manuscript's original provenance is unknown. A 13th or 14th century Arabic note on folio 1 reads: 'Bound to the Patriarchal Cell in the Fortress of Alexandria. Whoever removes it thence shall be excommunicated and cut off. Written by Athanasius the humble.' A 17th century Latin note on a flyleaf (from binding in a royal library) states that the manuscript was given to a patriarchate of Alexandria in 1098, although this may well be 'merely an inaccurate attempt at deciphering the Arabic note by Athanasius.' The codex was brought to Constantinople in 1621 by Cyril Lucar (first a patriarch of Alexandria, then later a patriarch of Constantinople) who then presented it to Charles I of England in 1627, thus becoming part of the Royal Library, British Museum and now the British Library. It was saved from the fire at Ashburnam House (the Cotton library) on 23 October 1731, by the librarian, Dr Bentley.
[Ref: 7618] £230.00
Printed letterpress advertisement, broadside, 327 x 202mm. Tatty lower edge.
Subscribers are solicited for Henry Hervey Baber's edition of the Old Testament portion of the Codex Alexandrinus, ‘Vetus Testamentum Græcum e Codice MS. Alexandrino ¼ typis ad similitudinem ipsius codicis Scripturæ fideliter descriptum cura et labore H. H. Baber,’ in 3 vols. It was published eventually in 1816-21. Baber (1775 - 1869), philologist, entered the service of the British Museum in 1807, and in 1812 was promoted to the office of keeper of the printed books, in the general duties of which post, and in work upon the catalogue of books in the collection, he was actively engaged for twenty-five years. Besides his keepership, Baber also held the rectory of Stretham in Cambridgeshire, to which he was appointed in 1827. In the year 1837 he resigned his post at the British Museum, and retired to his rectory. His resignation was partly made in consequence of a recommendation of a parliamentary committee in 1836, that officials of the museum should not hold any other situation conferring emoluments or entailing duties. Pentateuch ('five rolls or cases') is the Greek name for the Torah, the first 5 books of the Hebrew Bible: the name is derived from two Greek words: pente, meaning 'five', and teuxos which roughly means 'case', a reference to the cases containing the five scrolls of the Laws of Moses. In Christianity, these books are found in the Old Testament. The Codex Alexandrinus is a 5th century manuscript of the Greek Bible, containing the majority of the Septuagint and the New Testament. Along with the Codex Sinaiticus and the Codex Vaticanus, it is one of the earliest and most complete manuscripts of the Bible. It derives its name from Alexandria where it resided for a number of years before given to the British in the 17th century. The manuscript's original provenance is unknown. A 13th or 14th century Arabic note on folio 1 reads: 'Bound to the Patriarchal Cell in the Fortress of Alexandria. Whoever removes it thence shall be excommunicated and cut off. Written by Athanasius the humble.' A 17th century Latin note on a flyleaf (from binding in a royal library) states that the manuscript was given to a patriarchate of Alexandria in 1098, although this may well be 'merely an inaccurate attempt at deciphering the Arabic note by Athanasius.' The codex was brought to Constantinople in 1621 by Cyril Lucar (first a patriarch of Alexandria, then later a patriarch of Constantinople) who then presented it to Charles I of England in 1627, thus becoming part of the Royal Library, British Museum and now the British Library. It was saved from the fire at Ashburnam House (the Cotton library) on 23 October 1731, by the librarian, Dr Bentley.
[Ref: 7618] £230.00