Grammatographia

(Grammar for Children)

LEFÈVRE D'ÉTAPLES, Jacques (1450 ?-1537)

Grammatographia. Paris: Simon de Colines, June 1533 [Bound with:] Jacques LEFÈVRE D'ÉTAPLES. Clavis tesserarum Grammatographiae. [Paris: S. de Colines] 1530.

Two works in one, Small Quarto (204 x 145mm), [60, 14] ff. collates A-P4, a-c4 [d2], Printed in red and black (two minor marginal repairs). Modern calf tooled in blind to a Renaissance style.

'Second edition of one of Colines' most ingeniously impressive typographic achievements' (Schreiber). First published 1529, it was composed by Lefèvre d'Étaples, tutor to the French royal children, in order to teach them Latin and its pronunciation; it is dedicated to Princess Madeleine of France (1520-36), daughter of François I.

Colines devised a 'system of periods, accents, and brackets' resulting in highly complex typography showing off his great skill. It is accompanied by its very rare supplement (not seen by Renouard) which takes the form of a dialogue between two young woman, Magdalena and Aretusa, discussing Latin grammar.

Schreiber, Colines 94 (first work only); Renouard 201; Moreau IV, 746, III, 2176.