C.C. Plinius Secundus.

Amsterdam, Johannes Allart, 1809. (II),VIII,203,(3 errata) p. Half calf 22 cm 'Historical novel' (Details: Back ruled gilt, gilt letterpiece in the 'second compartment'. Boards marbled. Title page engraved by R. Vinkeles, on it we see a bearded Greek sitting on a kind of (anachronistic) Vienna-Thonet chair; he points at an almost completed statue; a sculptor, hammer in hand, stands beside him. The goddesses Athena and Artemis are looking on; this scene probably refers to a discussion in this novel about the art of sculpture and the use and abuse of statues. (p. 42/53); 7 text illustrations, also by Vinkeles) (Condition: Binding slightly worn at the extremes) (Note: Mr. Maurits Cornelis van Hall, 1768-1858, was a Dutch jurist, and member of the anti-royalist patriotic society 'Concordia et Libertate'. He was a friend of the authors Wolff and Deken, Helmers, Bilderdijk and Feith. Later in life this republican turned into a conservative. In 1842 he became a member of the First Chamber (Senate) of the Dutch parliament. His poetry is forgotten, but he is remembered for his historical novels, on Plinius Secundus (1809), and Valerius Messala Corvinus (1813). The attentive reading of the letters of Plinius Minor inspired him to write about a meeting of some friends of this noble Roman in the house of Calpurnia, his widow, where they discuss the merits of the deceased. In a lively and entertaining way Van Hall offers a sketch of the cultural elite of the Roman Empire at the beginning of the second century A.D. § The novel was translated into French. The sale of the book was apparantly not a great success, for unsold remainders came into the hands of 'Johannes van der Hey', who renewed only the title, and brought the book in 1819 once more on the market as a new edition (nieuwe uitgave). We compared both editions and must conclude that the only difference is the imprint on the title page of the 1819 edition, the rest is exactly the same. § See for a review and a summary of this novel: 'Vaderlandsche letteroefeningen', Jaargang 1809, p. 553/557) (Provenance: Bookplate on the front pastedown: 'Bibliotheca Seminarii Warmondani. Dono dedit Rev. Pl. Dom. Professor J.W.L. Smit'. Johannes Wilhelmus Leonardus Smit, 1826-1887, began his theological studies at the Seminary of Warmond in 1844, where he was appointed to the post of teacher in 1847, before he had ended his studies. He published on catholic martyrs who were persecuted in the Netherlands in the 16th century. He became professor of Church History at Warmond in 1861. (NNBW 2,1330-1332)) (Collation: pi1, *4, A-N8 (minus leaf N8)) (Photographs on request)