Add MS 73545

'SYLVANI MARISCHALCHI AMORES'; n.d., circa 3rd quarter of 18th cent. Latin. The attribution of this collection of love poems, etc., survives on the spine of the binding only, and is of uncertain origin. The collection may be the work of the French writer Pierre Silvan Maréchal (b.1750-d.1803), author of the 'Bibliotheque des amans, odes erotiques . . .', 1777. It opens with a series (ff. 2-8v) of eleven pieces, several of them addressed to women bearing the pseudonyms of Cythara and Lycoris, composed in the manner and metres of Catullus. It concludes with a section (ff. 9-13) of poems and extracts, also largely of an amatory nature, selected from the work of Renaissance neo-Latinists. The authors, who are named at the end of each item, include Erasmus (f. 10), More (ff. 10, 11), Crinitus (f. 12), Melancthon (f. 12v) and Marullus (ff. 12v, 13). Between these two sections occurs a 'Villanelle', in French, beg. 'Rosette, pour un peu habilente'. Purchased at Christie's, 26 Nov. 1997, as part of lot 84.

Paper; ff.16. 117 x 90mm. 19th-century binding of blue-green calf, with gilt-tooled dentelles and small comb endpapers. Gilt legend, as above, on spine. Binder's stamp on verso (f. iiv) of front flyleaf of 'leighton brewer street', undated but after 1840. Watermark of arms of France within crowned circlet. Gilt garb crest of Milnes-Crewe famiy on front cover, with armorial bookplate (f. i) of Robert, Marquess of Crewe pasted inside.