"OF THE BENEFIT OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST," BY AONIO PALEARIO.

The total, or almost total, disappearance of books at one time largely circulated, is a curious fact in the history of literature. One cause of it may be found in the efforts made by the Church of Rome to suppress those works which were supposed to contain unsound doctrine.

"Heretical books," says Mr. T. B. Macaulay, "were sought out and destroyed with unsparing rigour. Works which were once in every house, were so effectually suppressed, that no copy of them is now to be found in the most extensive libraries. One book in particular, entitled Of the Benefit of the Death of Christ, had this fate. It was written in Tuscan, was many times reprinted, and was eagerly read in every part of Italy. But the inquisitors detected in it the Lutheran doctrine of justification by faith alone. They proscribed it; and it is now as utterly lost as the second decade of Livy."

This book was published without a name. But the author was Aonio Paleario. It was translated into various languages, as French, Spanish, English, and possibly others; and within six years after its first appearance, 40,000 copies are said to have been circulated.

A few years ago I was fortunate enough to meet with a copy of the English version, which was made from the French, not from the original. This copy was printed in 1638, and was, according to the title-page, the fourth (English) edition. From it I edited the work, prefixing a short notice of the author, and verifying the references to the Fathers. It was subsequently retranslated into Italian, and has, I am informed, been much read in Italy. Some time after this publication, I became aware of the existence of a copy (in private hands) of the apparently first English edition, bearing the date of 1573. This I was allowed to inspect: and I hope hereafter to put forth another edition, in which the text of this copy will be followed, and two or three inaccuracies which had crept into the former impression will be corrected.

I was, however, ignorant that a single copy of the original Italian existed; and all inquiry for it seemed to be vain. But one was near at hand, preserved with diligent care among the literary treasures of St. John's College, Cambridge, by the authorities there, who were well aware of its rarity and value. By their obliging permission, I was a few days ago permitted to examine it.

It is a small square 16mo., bound, in beautiful condition, measuring about 4¼ inches by 3, and containing seventy-two pages. The following is the title-page:

"Trattato vtilissimo del beneficio di Giesv Christo crocifisso, verso i Christiani. Venetiis, Apud Bernardinum de Bindonis. Anno Do. M.D.XXXXIII."

From the date, it seems to be the first edition.

There is an address

"Alli Lettori Christiani.

"Essendoci venuta alle mani un' opera delle piu pie e dotte, che a nostri tempi si siano fatte, il titolo della quale e, Del beneficio di Giesu Christo crocifisso verso i Christiani: ci e paruto a consolatione e utilita vostra darla ī istampa, e senza il nome dello scrittore, accioche piu la cosa vi muova, che l' autorita dell' autore."

This most curious volume has been for upwards of a century in the library of St. John's College, as the following printed notice, pasted within the cover, will show:

"In grati animi testificationem, ob plurima Humanitatis officia, a Collegio Divi Joannis Evangelistæ apud Cantabrigienses multifariam collata, librum hunc inter alios lectissimos eidem collegio legavit Illustrissimus Vir, Dominicus Antonius Ferrari, J. U. D. Neapolitanus, 1744.

"Teste,

"J. Creyk."

But this is not all. The College is happy enough to possess a copy of the rare French translation of the same book. This is somewhat larger in size than the original Italian, and consists of sixty-four leaves. It contains, as will be seen by the title-page, some additional matter:

"Dv benefice de Iesvs Christ crvcifie, envers les Chrestiens. Traduict de vulgaire Italien, en langage Françoys. Plus, Vne Traduction de la huytiesme Homelie de sainct Iean Chrysostome, De la femme Cananée: mise de Latin en Françoys. Venez a moy vous tous qui trauaillez et estes chargez, et ie vous soulageray, 1552."

There is an address by the French translator: "Le traducteur a tous les Chrestiens qui sont dessoubz le ciel, Salut;" and at the end of the volume is a "Traduction du Psalme xxxiv." The French version is said to have been first published in 1545. This therefore is not, it would seem, the earliest edition.

This volume also, it may be added, was given to the College by Ferrari.

J. Ayre.

Hampstead.