Author: Bernard of Clairvaux, St.: (Horstius, Jakob Merlo ed.):
Title: [...] Opera omnia: nunc demum in V tomos [...].
Description: Coloniae Agrippinae [Cologne]: apud Ioannem Kinchivm sub Monocerote veteri, 1641. 6 parts in 1 vol. Folio, pp.[xx], 120, 59, [i]; 143, [i]; [iv], 272; [iv], 139, [i]; [xii], 140; [viii], 384; [iv], 92, 16, [84] + additional engraved frontispiece. Half-title, title-page in red and black with woodcut device, woodcut headpieces and initials. Some light toning, occasional foxing with Part I especially foxed, a few wax spots, some dampstaining to fore-edge margin at rear. Small piece missing from lower margin Part 2 leaf A3, not affecting text, a few small paper repairs. Contemporary vellum over wooden boards, faint ink title and remains of paper labels to spine, blind-tooled borders, frames and centrepiece, recent metal clasps. Cloth reinforcement to front hinge, small repair at tail of spine, a little grubby but very good overall. To title-page: illegible ex libris inscription at head, and library ink stamp 'Studiehuis Minderbroeders Nijmegen'. Saint Bernard (1090-1153) was Abbot of Clairvaux, one of the most prominent centres of the Cistercian Order. In the General Preface to his Life and Works of St Bernard, Abbott of Clairvaux (1889), John Mabillon writes: "…in 1641 appeared the best and most accurate [edition] of all, that of James Merlon Horst, a most pious and learned man. That edition threw all others into the shade, and was reprinted frequently. […] He had submitted the whole of the works to exact and severe criticism, and divided them into six volumes, of which the first contained the Letters; the second the Sermons de Tempore and de Sanctis; the third the sermons in Cantica; the fourth various Treatises; the fifth whose writings which are not by S. Bernard; and the sixth, those of the two disciples of the Holy Doctor, Gilbert and Guerric. It is he, also, who divided the Treatises into chapters and sections, and has prefixed analytical summaries to each Letter and Treatise. He spared neither labour nor expense to procure all the editions of S. Bernard which he could find in the libraries of different countries, although he was not successful in obtaining some of the works of that Father, of which Possevin and others have given a list. Besides these a great many introductions are added, the life of S. Bernard in seven books, with various Elogia of the Saint, and a chronology. Finally, he has inserted lengthy Notes, besides those shorter ones which are inserted in the margin throughout the work, with very full Indexes of the places of Scripture, of subjects, and of the names mentioned by S. Bernard. The reader cannot help recognising the immense labour with which he has endeavoured to make this edition absolutely accurate. Unfortunately the work of the printer has not altogether corresponded to his wishes. This learned man was preparing an edition more complete and more careful still when he died, on the 20th April, 1644." (p.8).

Keywords: Early Printing (to c.1800, all subjects);Middle Ages & Renaissance


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