Lot 126: Finé, Oronce

Finé, Oronce
Epistre exhortative, touchant la perfection & commodite des ars liberaulx mathematiques. Paris: Pierre Leber. 1531 (1532) First edition, 8vo. ff. 8, woodcut fleur-de-lys and initial on title, 19th century blue morocco gilt by Lortic. a.e.g.

Note: This poem in eighteen nine line stanzas, dedicated to Francois I, was an attempt by Finé to raise awareness of the importance of mathematics as a science, that until then had been largely ignored by French scholars. He cites Plato, Pythagoras, and Euclid as examples of great mathematicians, describes the benefits of mathematics in every branch of science, and exhorts the King to recognise its importance. This is the first and only edition of this extremely rare work.

Brunet, II 1260. "Pièce rare". Graesse, II 492. Not in Adams.